An Iceling In Mirkwood
by Zombie-nation
Summary: A beautiful creature with the power over ice, snow and winter is supposed to be extinct, but appears suddenly in mirkwood forest without explanation and causes all hell to break loose! There will be adventure, fantasy, humour and of course romance between our icy female and a certain elvish king! You can also find this story on wattpad under the same title!
1. Chapter 1

Legolas had hunted many times before out with his fathers hunting party. They would split up and hunt down different wild creatures, sometimes boars, sometimes a variety of wild birds, then they would all come together to compare each others findings. Legolas had always won, often bringing back a boar his horse could hardly carry. He trekked through the forest on his white horse, arrow notched in his bow and resting at his thigh. A crack of a stick caught his attention. He slowly slid of the horse's back and stroked its long nose, then ventured forward alone as the horse waited obediently. Legolas took graceful, calculated steps through the forest. His bow raised to his cheek, ready to let an arrow fly if anything should come near. He heard breathing, but not one of an animal. The unsteady breathing of a women, but not a human women. He slowly looked down at the ground to see the leaves on the forest floor had been forested with ice, as had the trees. This was a very strange affair, especially as summer had just began to bloom. As he ventured on the ice became thicker until he stopped in his tracks. He almost dropped his bow in suprisement. Lying on the ground at the foot of a tree either asleep or unconscious lay a women. Snow White hair and skin drained of colour. This women seemed to be the source of the ice that lay around the forest. She wore a simple white dress, covered in frost and snow. He whistled a high note and his horse came obediently to his side. The snow and ice crunched underneath his feet as he ventured forward to the women. He reached out and touched her neck, checking her pulse. Once he felt the slow beat of her pulse he picked her up and gently placed her over the horse and lead it forward...back to the palace.

There was a large amount of attention when legolas arrived with a mysterious young women on his horse, ice on the saddle

"She needs help, I found her in the woods" the prince said, sliding her off the horse gently as palace workers gathered around. She awoke as the prince held her.

"Where am I? Who are you?" She asked, fright in her tone. She stood by herself and backed away

"You need not be frightened, I am only here to help" legolas said, trying not to sound stern. "You will need to speak to my father, the king of this land. You are on mirkwood land" legolas explained. The women said nothing but gripped the wood of a stable behind her. Instantly frost cascaded down the wood and ice made the floor slippery and cold. The young women looked down at her hands than brought them close to herself, as if protecting them.

The women was escorted to the kings chamber by guards to talk it the king. She looked around at the beautiful interior if the royal halls, thick vines twisted and wove together as she walked slowly. she was led to a large, grand door then down a long pathway to come to a platform with steps leading up to the king's throne.

Thranduil sat upon his throne, his staff in one hand and the other resting on the arm of his throne.

"I heard my son found you whilst out hunting" the king started. The women stayed silent, terrified out of her whit. She looked up at the king and they locked eyes for a few seconds before she looked down again. She was not sure where she was, who she was or what was happening but what she did know was that the male in front of her was important. Just by the arrogant look and luxurious clothing, she suddenly very self conscious being dressed in a simple white dress compared to his rich silks "Do you have a name?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he enquired. Helke opened her mouth but no word escaped.

Apparently one of the guards found this disrespectful towards the king as he barked "The king asked you a question!" viciously. the women whined quitely and panicked at his words. Her powers were out of control. "Listen ice witch-" the guard said striding towards her.

"No, please!" She said, putting her hand out to stop him coming any closer and shut her eyes, turning away. She expected a slap, a hit of some sort. But it didn't come. She looked to see the guard cut off from her by a wall of clear ice. She gasped and looked around, a wall of ice had circled around the white haired female, protecting her from any invaders. The ice started to melt and drip from the heat in the room and revealed the startled looking guard in the other side.

The king instantly recognised the powers, the strange look of the female, everything made sense. They were supposedly extinct from having their powers harvested by greedy orcs and dwarves. they were know as icelings when they were in the state she was, young and unable to control their powers. when their powers became under control and they had matured,they were known as icelings. this is also when they would have their powers harvested. they were dangerous creatures to be around, especially ones as young as the one in front of him. Their powers could become violent if they were in the slightest bit agitated or scared. But they were beautiful, with pure white hair and milky grey eyes. The king could see this from one look and it was the first time he found someone attractive since his wife had died. Icelings were not bore from their kin, they were born of the winter and the moon, legend said that when a harsh winters comes and iceling is created. They are immortal beings, the ice which runs through their veins freezes any disease, ageing processes or injuries.

"Impressive" said the king. She looked up to see his cool, calculating eyes on her whilst he smirked slightly. "Although, you seem to be unable to control this power and i will not accept such disgusting words towards a our guest" he continued, looking at the puddle that now surrounded her feet then to the guard that had spoken out. She looked down slightly embarrassed that he could read her so easily.

"What is your name?" He asked again. She froze for a second. A...name?  
"I don't have one" She said shyly still not looking at the king.

"Whilst you are in my domain you shall be known as helke" he said, standing from sitting in his throne. "Guards, see to it that this little iceling does not leave mirkwood, she shall stay within the halls at all times" he said then added "take her to a room and see that she is treated well"

Helke was taken to a luxurious room with beautiful furniture and bedding and a window with a window seat. A kind, beautiful elf helped helke to re-dress into a white nightgown.

"We can take your measurements than start making some dresses for you tomorrow" she said kindly as she tied the strings of the dress in the front together.  
Thank you" she said quietly.  
"My name is anerin and i am here to serve any needs you may have whilst staying here" she said, bowing her head slightly. "What are you?" Helke asked suddenly, seeing the oddly shaped ears of the female. She laughed and said "well I'm an elf. Well an elleth specifically. The males are elves" she explained.  
"The king?" asked helke politely.

"The elven king thranduil, he rules over mirkwood and the people in it" she said patiently. Helke sat on the bed and stroked the satin sheets with the palm of her hand.

"If you don't mind me asking m'lady how exactly did you end up in mirkwood forest?" Asked the elleth, watching the iceling.

"I don't remember much. I just remember being scared and tired and cold. It was so dark, I thought maybe I had died and forgotten my life before. I was so scared" the iceling said, griping the sheets. "I just lay there, I tried calling her help a few times but it just came out as horrible noise, so I lay there for days. That's when that man found me" said helke looking up to the elleth.  
"Prince Legolas, the king's son" the elleth corrected. Helke nodded and took in all she had learnt.  
"I'm scared anerin" said helke, her voice cracking slightly

"Do not be helke, the king will see to it that harm will come to you when you are in his lands" comforted the elleth. Helke was left in the room alone to rest, she had been told that the next day she was to see the king.

As she lay in bed she thought. The only thing she remembered was that it had been dark the first time she opened her eyes. The ice around her. The trees that looked diseased. She closed her eyes and allowed darkness to consume her for the second time that day...


	2. Chapter 2 helke's discovery

Helke awoke the next morning just as the sun was rising. She rose from her bed and looked out the window. Outside she could see tall elves with bows in hand walking to the forest and for the first time began to admire the beauty of the place. It was so pure and wonderfully natural and she began to wonder why then the trees in the forest had looked diseased. She stared out of the window at the beauty only to pull back when she realised that frost had began to collect around the window pane. She scowled at the frosted window and sat on her bed just as she heard a knock. "Come in" she said quietly, standing up.

Anerin bustled in a smile on her face and a pile of tidily folded dresses in her hands.

"Now as you know you are to the king today, alone, so I have brought some dresses for you to try as the seamstresses haven't finished making dresses for you yet" Anerin said smiling kindly, keeping her voice as calm as possible. Helke remebered yesterday an elleth comming to measure her for clothes, than something dawned on her "Alone?" Helke asked surprised. "That's what the king has requested" the elleth replied beginning to gently unfold the dresses.

Helke admired herself in the mirror, her white hair had been brushed and the front part braided back. The dress she wore was ivory and came to the floor, with a sweetheart neck showing a small amount of cleavage (which helke kept trying to pull up to hide). "You look beautiful" said anerin also looking over the iceling. "Is there anything else you need?" She asked, folding the other dresses back up.

"I- I would appreciate a glass of water" said helke, turning around and trying to smile for the first time. "Oh my dear of course!" Anerin exclaimed. Helke gently traced the beautiful carvings of the oak bed posts as she waited and scowled deeply when those too frosted over.

Anerin came back a few minutes later with a cup of water and handed it the iceling. Helke smiled almost unnoticeably in thanks as she took the cup. The water inside the cup froze instantly and helke dropped it in fear and looked quickly to Anerin. "I-" started helke, not knowing what could be said.

"What are you?" Anerin whispered quitely in fear whilst backing away.

"I don't know" croaked helke as cold tears slid down her cheeks as Anerin ran out the room...

"It would seem that you have frightened one of my best chambermaids" said the king as he sat perched on his throne lazily with helke stood in front of him.

""I did not mean to I-" started helke started helke but the king rose his hand, signalling for her to stop, so she did.

"You are not to be punished, do not worry" he said smiling slightly but it was not as welcoming as anerin's had been. "I take it you enjoyed your first night" he asked looking down at the female and admiring her beauty. Helke nodded silently. The king stood and allowed his red coat to slip off his frame. He walked down the steps slowly nearing the iceling and stopped inches away from her. "Many people would take advantage of such power, such...beauty" he said, tucking a piece of her white hair behind her ear as he spoke. The top of helke's head came just under the king's chin. From the king standing so close to her, helke could smell his natural aroma. It smelt like some sort of tree, which name was in the tip of her tongue but could not get it out.

"Do not worry yourself, no harm will come to you as long as you are within my land" he said slowly as he paced around her figure, drinking her in greedily. "Of course if you want to be properly protected then I will have to keep a closer eye upon you" said the king turning away and smiling slyly to himself. "You are to stay in my chambers from now onwards" he said turning back round to face the iceling.

"What am I?" Asked helke, still replying the events from this morning.

Thee king chuckled and said "you are an iceling, a being that was supposedly...extinct" he said, trying to find the right words.

"why am I here, you're highness?" She asked, quickly remembering that she was within the presence of royalty.

Thranduil chuckled and said "nature works in mysterious ways" as he gently caressed the icelings cheek. "I hope you will warm up to me" said the king, smiling.

"Take her to my chambers and see too it she given whatever she pleases." He said as he walked slowly back up the stairs and signalling to the guards to take her.

Helke was escorted (if you could call it that) to the kings room and heard the doors slam behind her. She looked around at the grand room. There was a wooden four post giant bed in the middle of the room against the wall with a large wardrobe made of the same wood. On the bed were red silk sheets that looked rich and soft. Helke could see a slither of sunlight behind a pair of dark red curtain. She pulled them back and smiled at the beautiful sight. She opened the full length window and stepped out onto a balcony. The soft breeze caressed her hair and cheek softly and sent a calming feeling over the iceling. She stopped back into the room shutting the window-doors behind her. She looked around and her eyes fell upon another smaller wooden door. She stepped over and opened it shyly. Inside was a beautiful bathroom with a porcelain bath tub which helke took an appeal to. She shut the door again and noticed another, older door in the corner. When she tried to open if she found it was locked. She scowled and thought about all the secrets a king could be hiding.

Helke soon found entertainment in reading. She took down all the books that were written in man's language as she could not read elvish to save her life, although she found it beautiful too look at, the way each word was delicately written and seemed to dance across the page. She sat down on the luxurious bed and read the books. Some told of mystical tales of fairies and other creatures and some told of trees and plants, others of elvish history. Her eyes widened as she came across as passage from a particularly old book, bound by leather. The page was titled iceling in smooth italic writing. 'Icelers (also know as icelings in younger stages) are creatures of great beauty and power. They can bend the winter weather to their will but their powers can also be taken from them. A special ritual called skazi is to be performed, This ritual is mainly performed by dwarves but human men have attempted the ritual. The iceler is first tied down and left under the moon for two day. They are then placed in a heated room for them to become weak, a knife is the taken-' helke shut the door firmly as tears ran down her cheeks. Is this why the king had showed her hospitality? So that he may take her powers away and leave her to die.

Before she knew it she was crying loudly into the silk pillows of the bed, curled up into a ball. Half an hour later the tears were still falling, the sounds had however stopped due to her headaches. She sniffed quietly as more freezing tears slid down her face. The sheets around her had frosted and iced over in her weeping. She took a deep breathe and began to feel herself calm as the ice melted but this time left no moisture was left. She sat up as she heard footsteps of someone coming closer to the door and opening it...

I'm not sure if I made thranduil appear more evil than arrogant in this chapter? Please let me know what you think and have you have any advice please tell me! Thanks for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3 -his past

Through the door Anerin stepped in shyly. Helke sat straight up quickly. "I do hope you can forgive me for my earlier behaviour" said Anerin quietly. "It has been so long since an iceling walked these lands, I had nearly forgotten what they looked like" she laughed quietly.

"It is okay. I understand" said helke nodding and smiling as best she could.

" the kind must have taken a liking to you to have you in his chambers" said Anerin as she admired the grand room. "Please do not whisper a word to anyone. I am not suppose to be here, I just wanted to see you" she explained.

"I will not tell" helke started "if you do something for me". Anerin only nodded, a questioning look of her face. Helke produced the old leather bound book again but said nothing.

"Ah" said Anerin, reading the young icelings mind. "You have read about skazi?" She said as she sat by helke's side. "A most monsterous procedure" she scowled, shaking her head.

"W-what's going to happen to me?" Helke asked, trying not to cry.

"Oh my dear! You do not think that we would do this to you do you?! Oh heavens no! Many of our bravest males went out and fought for the freedom of your people" she explained. "It was more like a war against greed itself than of the dwarves" she continued in a low voice.

"So the king-?"

"I do not yet know why the king wished to keep you here. But I am certain it is not for this ghastly ceremony" she said firmly.

Footsteps could suddenly be heard coming towards the door along the corridor. The two female held their breathe until the footsteps faded away.

Anerin let out her breathe and said "my, that was close. Now I must go. Come and find me in the kitchens tomorrow if you can" said Anerin before getting up and scurrying out nimbly.

Helke was left alone on the grand bed for the second time that night and was starting to feel uneasy. For a palace there wasn't a lot of hustle and bustle. Either that or everyone as frightened of her. That was probably more likely. Or maybe the king had told his servants not to talk to her. She laid back on the bed as she thought about all the possibilities as to why the halls were so quiet.

Sudden two voices broke through her thought.

"You cannot keep her in you chambers! She has only been her a day or two. Rumours will spread" said a voice that helke recognised as the elf's that had saved her from the forest.

"Do you dare to question me? Your king and father?!" Asked another voice. Thranduil's voice.

Helke suddenly scrambled into the silk sheets of the bed just as the door was opened. She steadied her breath as best as she could as she heard light footsteps on the stone floor of the room. She felt the book being picked up off of the bed and being placed back In their places on the oak bookshelf as she pretended to be asleep. She opened one eye as she heard a door within the room shut and water begin to run. 'He's probably taking a bath' she thought as she sat up. She couldn't help but begin to feel nosey again and slowly slid out of the bed and looked around cabinets and bookshelves.

As she looked on a desk she hadn't noticed before she found an old looking hand draw picture in a frame of vines and leaves. She picked up the drawing and studied it. It appeared to be the king, standing next to a beautiful women (or elleth she supposed from the pointed ears) who was holding a baby wrapped in blankets. She had not seen this women around the palace and scowled. If she was so close to the king to share a photo with him then surely she would be upset that she was sleeping in the same room as him?

Oblivious to her the king had come out of his bath and was now dressed in a tunic for bed. He watched her as she studied the picture of him, his wife and his son before she had been murdered by orcs when they had tried to raid mirkwood. "My wife and son" he said simply making the iceling jump. She almost dropped the picture belfore the king caught it and glared at her. "She was attacked by orcs" he said as she set it back down on the wooden desk.

"I'm sorry" she said, not because she was sorry but because that was what she thought she should say.

"It happened a while ago" the king continued as he walked away from the desk. "I see you were reading" he said as he traced the spines of some of the books on his bookcase.

"Only a little bit" she lied as she twisted her fingers nervously.

"Find anything...interesting?" He asked smoothly as he turned around. Helke shook her head silently, then thought that was rude so nodded, them became confused.

The king chuckled and said " I see past your exterior" whilst slowly coming closer to her. "You are frightened" he said leaning down and staring into her eyes. "And lost" he added. Helke looked away from the kings blueish-green eyes shyly stepping away.

"You shall sleep in my bed tonight, I have much work. I doubt I shall need it" he said as he looked absentmindedly to his large, inviting bed.

"T-thank you m'lord" she said blushing, not sure what else to say as she felt ice begin to appear on her hand.

"Call if you require any assistance" he said shortly, not noticing the ice and swept out of the room wordlessly.

Helke stood still for a few second before collapsing underneath the covers of her bed and falling into a deep sleep...


	4. Chapter 4 - midnight adventures

Done

Whilst the moon still hung in the sky and the sky was dark helke awoke from a nightmare. She sat up quickly and looked around the room slowly. The whole room, ever object inside, the walls and Floors were covered in thick ice. She breathed unsteadily as she attempted to calm herself. She closed her eyes as she remembered the dream. The king had been executing that terrible ritual, causing pain she did not know existed. She sat u slowly and walked gracefully to the doorknob, Turing it reluctantly. She poked her out of the door, the only sources of light were lit torches upon the wall. She sighed and decided not to venture out at night as she did not know her way around and was likely to get lost. She shut the door and attempted to calm herself. She never knew that dreams could feel so...real. She stepped out onto the balcony and breathed deeply. The air was so pure, untouched by any pollutions. Then she noticed something she had not before. Steps leading down to a large, wooden brown hut. She looked around and timidly followed the steps down, Checking behind her all the time so she could find her way back.

There was a sort of sweet smell near the barn as she reached the large door. She timidly opened it and peered it. There was a single lantern lit inside the large barn, giving off a comforting, surrounding glow She was about to leave when she saw something large move in the shadows and heard something stir. She waited, breathing shallowly and silently. When nothing appeared she stepped forwards to investigate. As she got nearer she made out the shape of half a door and behind it a very large horse. But no...it had very large, proud antlers on top it's head. She closed her eyes tightly as she tried to remember the name of the animal as she had read about in the book...el...el...it began with an el she knew that much...ELK!

"Hello" she said timidly as she stepped forwards slowly to admire the grand creature. It looked up from chomping on some hay and locked eyes with the iceling. It walked over, its hooves making clacking noises on the stone flooring and stuck it's head out of the door. The elk was tall, with sandy coloured antlers and chocolate brown fur. it's eyes he held a prideful but kind look. She gently pressed her hands to it's giant nose and it snorted affectionately. She smiled and stroked it's strong neck.

"You must belong to the king, or at least his son" said helke as she admired the creature's muscular build.

"She is mine" rang out a clear voice behind her. She jumped and turned around quickly to see the king standing in the door way, but something looked different about him. She concentrated hard until she realised...his crown was gone, giving his face a much more relaxed look.

"She's beautiful" said helke as she continued to stroke her neck.

"A loyal and wise creature. She is to have a calf in a few days" the king said as he stepped over to helke.

"Calf?" Helke questioned as she continued to stroke through the elk's fur.

"A baby elk" the king explained and she smiled. "I must enquire why you are at my stables, and not asleep?" Questioned the king and he watched helke press her forehead to the elk's nose.

"I had a...strange dream" she said slowly.

"I see" said the king shortly.

There was a strange silence between the two of them as helke closed her eyes, leaning her head on the elk's nose.

"You should return to my chambers now" said the king as he began to notice helke becoming sleepy. Helke nodded and kissed the elk's nose goodbye and secretly hoped she would be able to see him tomorrow. With that the king blew out the single lantern and followed behind the iceling, shutting the stable door behind them.

The steps were dark as the two headed back up to the kings's room. Suddenly helke's footing slipped and she felt herself falling backwards until two warm hands caught her hips and steadied her. She looked round to see the king looking up at her, a small smile playing on his lips. His hands lingered on her hips for a second longer than was necessary before he removed them helke practically ran the rest of the way.

"I do not wish to appear strict but I am afraid I must ask you to stay within my chambers or with any of my maids during nighttime" explained the king once helke was settled back in his bed. Helke nodded in understanding obediently as the king talked.

"Good. Now I hope you have not forgotten this is my chambers as well" he said as he slipped into the other side of the bed. Helke lay perfectly still as the king lay back to back with her in the large bed, one thought on her mind. 'What if she accidentally froze him?'

"Goodnight helke, I hope you sleep better" said the king sincerely. Helke could not find any words so squeaked quietly in response and all fell silent. Before long she felt her eyelids droop and she fell asleep thinking about visiting the gorgeous elk in the stables the next day..


	5. Chapter 5 - the kitchens

When helke next woke the king had already left and she was relieved to find no ice around the room. She looked around in the corner of the room was a beautiful ice blue dress. She got up and slowly ran her hand over the material of the dress. It felt smooth and soft, like silk or velvet. Once she slipped in on it felt perfect, she could not think of anything that could fit more perfectly. It came to floor, with open sleeves and was white and ice blue. She smiled as she admire herself in the mirror, in her mind the elves were defiantly skilled at making clothes. She ran out barefoot down the stairs and to the stables from last night, only to frown in disappointment when she found the large brown doors were locked.

What could she do now? Not stay in that room all day! She headed back upstairs to the kings room and decided to be adventurous. She slipped out of the kings's chambers silently and walked timidly down the hall, peeping round the corners all the time.

It was after walking round for 20 minutes that she realised she did not know where the kings throne room was! She heard noises and clanging coming from down some stone steps and decided to investigate, hoping someone could help her. When she reached the bottom she realised she was in a kitchen. Everyone turned to look at her and the room fell silent.

"Hello dear, are you alright?" A slim elf with ginger hair asked. Helke was lost for words. She was embarrassed and slightly frightened. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Everyone in the kitchen looked at each other. Helke felt cold tears running down her cheek. She was frightened.

"It's alright dear" said the lady, guiding her to the side, through a door. In the room was a small table, old clay oven and a store room of ingredients. The lady sat helke down at the table and said " now, what's this fluster about then sweetie?" She asked curiously.

"I'm sorry" helke chocked, now knowing no harm would come to her here. "I was trying to find the throne room" she sniffed.

"We'll, I'm going there now with some food for his majesty" at the word food helke's stomach rumbled as she realised she had not eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. The she-elf laughed heartily and said "I'll get you something to eat" she left helke briefly but returned with some fresh bread and fruits.

After the food helke and the she-elf walked slowly to the throne room, the she- elf carrying a tray of fruits, breads and other assortments. The came to large doors with beautiful vines and flowers. Helke went to tough the delicate vines when they door opened gracefully, she stepped back quickly. She entered the room slowly and saw thranduil upon his throne. He had a sense of power upon his throne, his crown set proudly on his head.

"Your food m'lord" said the she-elf, curtseying. He nodded to her silently and looked at helke. She was too Engrossed in looking upon the beautiful room to be polite. The kitchen elleth nudged her in the side and helke bowed suddenly and felt embarrassed. The she-elf set the food on a table near by, bowed again and left. There were no guards in the room, just helke and the elf king.

"I am glad to see the dress fits you" he said after the silence.

"It's beautiful" she had, looking down at the grand silk dress.

"I take it you are enjoying your stay in my land?" He asked as he leaned lazily in his throne.

"Yes, although I would like to see the outside" she said bravely but stopped when she saw a strange look in his eye. A cross between jealousy and overprotectiveness.

"I can only protect you if you stay within my lands, I cannot guarantee your safety if you go elsewhere" he said smoothly as he sat up.

"Yes your highness" she replied reluctantly.

"Come here" he said as he gestured for her to come to him. She timidly walked up the steps and stopped in front of him. She shivered as he placed a Hand in her waist and traced it down to her hip.

"There will be a ball 3 days from now. You will attend with me" he said shortly. It was more like a demand than an enquiry. She just nodded but her main worry was her power. What if she got nervous and hurt someone?!

"I can tell what you are worried about" he said,a small smirk of his face and his hand still on her hip. "You need not worry about your powers. I am sure with the right training you will be able to keep them under control soon enough" he said. She just nodded.

"M'lord, I will have nothing to wear to the ball" she said suddenly and began to feel nervous when she saw his grin.

"Do not worry yourself over that. I will...personally see to it that your costume is satisfactory" he said and nodded. She began to turn away before he said "it is customary to bow when leaving royalty" arrogantly.

She stumbled down the steps a little and bowed messily once she had reached the floor. He chuckled and said "you do look beautiful" sincerely as he smiled. She tried to contain her grin as she bowed again and hurried out nimbly. It was only then did the king realise she had been barefoot the entire time.

'I will have to get her shoes made as well' he thought tiredly as he sunk into his throne, trying to relax...


	6. Chapter 6 - the ball

The ball came quicker than either helke or thranduil has expected. She looked in the mirror nervously as chamber maids plated her hair, each of them trying not to touch or look helke in the eyes. She wore a silver dress which was unusually tight around the bust area, a corset underneath (a contraption which she did NOT like) and white leather pumps. The dress was beautiful and seemed to move almost like water when she moved. It had threads of reflecting thread running through it which caught the light when she moved, giving the dress a frosted look. The two front parts of her hair were plaited back elegantly and pinned back with white crystal pins.

Apparently there would be many other elves at the ball, all very important which didn't help else's nerves. They had tried using gloves but the gloves had frosted over a while ago, so a growing layer of clear ice now surrounded the iceling which the elleths were doing their best not to slip on.

The king suddenly came in and dismissed the chamber maids shortly and studied the ice on the floor.

"This is not a pleasant start" he said as he came closer.

"I can't help it" she replied in defence.

"If you do not control it then word will get our there is an iceling in mirkwood and all sorts of creatures will be invading my land" he whispered agitatedly.

"I can't-" she started but the king took her hands.

"Just remember I am right by your side, nothing is going to happen to you, just remain calm" he soothed and helke nodded. To her surprise the king pressed a slow, soft kiss to helke's forehead before saying "we must go now" and she nodded. She took the kings's arm as he walked her to a big oak door. Behind the door she could hear someone announcing the king's name and just as the doors opened thranduil whispered "smile, you look beautiful".

People clapped as the king walked down an isle with helke. She squeezed his arm as she saw and felt people looking at her and heard whispers.

"Relax" the king whispered as ice began to form on her palms. "Please, return to your business" the king called politely and soft music started up.

A male elf with dark hair was the first to come forward and talk to thranduil but helke could not understand their strange language. She looked around the large, beautiful hall and couldn't remember the door being there before. Helke noticed that the male elf was talking in his language but looking from thranduil to her, almost like he was talking about her. Thranduil nodded and pulled back helke's hair from her neck affectionately.

"Ah, you cannot speak elvish?" The elf asked when he saw helke's confused face. Helke just shook her head. "I see, I am lord elrond, it is a pleasure to meet you" he said and stretched out his hand. Helke had never seen an elf (or anyone for that matter) do this before so wasn't entirely sure what to do. The first thought that came to mind that she was suppose to put her hand in his. She looked up at thranduil and he nodded. She put her Hand in elrond's softly and to her surprise he kissed the back of it. She thought only the king was to do that? She pulled away quickly and gripped thranuil's arm as they both chuckled.

"I am afraid she is still not use to meeting gestures" the king said in elvish and elrond nodded.

An hour later things were still going well. Helke was getting use to the 'kissing of the back of the hand' thing and generally talking to new people.

Suddenly there was a loud shattering of glass and belfore thranduil could say anything helke jumped and sharp, rough ice jetted out from her and covered the floor. She looked down nervously then bolted out of the room before anyone could say or do anything. Thranduil excused himself and followed after helke swiftly, following the trail of ice. When, however, he found that the ice had melted he stopped and thought, 'Where would she go?'. First he checked his chambers, nothing. Then the kitchen, they were extremely busy due to the ball so that was the last place she would go. He smiled to himself as he thought of the most obvious place. He walked briskly to the stables and peeped in. He walked over to his elk's stable and peered in. On the ground, leaning against the elk was helke. The elk seemed rather at ease to have the iceling curled up to it, stroking it's fur gently. As soon as thranduil opened the half door the elk stood up nimbly and bowed low to it's master. Helke stayed sat as thranduil pressed his palm to the elk's a head, signalling for it to relax. The elk lay back down as helke continued to stroke it softly.

The king said nothing as he watched his iceling pet the elk. Just to know she was safe was enough.

"I didn't mean to" helke croaked quietly.

"I know" said the king kindly. He slipped off his rich, silver silk coat and wrapped it around the iceling's small shoulders. He was surprised when he saw her face to see her eyes were res like she had been crying.

"I think it would be best if you returned to my chambers, you are much too stressed to continue" he said softly. Helke nodded but didn't budge. The king picked up her up sidesaddle easily and walked off swiftly, shutting the door of the stable behind him with his back. He walked up the steps to his bedroom and layer her in the bed. He pulled the rich soft silk covers over her and pressed a gentle kiss to her cold lips. Helke instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back. Her lips moved with him for a few minuted until they pulled back for air.

"Sleep now" the king whispered as he stroked her soft cheek. The iceling nodded and settled down in the luxurious bed. The waited to make sure his iceling was asleep before walking out and shutting the door softly behind him. He headed back to the ball as he tried to think of how he could cover up helke's mistake.

Meanwhile...

Three dwarves clustered together in the red of night. "Did you hear?" One of them asked, his accent thick. "Apparently there is an iceling in mirkwood"

"Don't be daft" another said As he smoked a pipe. "There hasn't been one of those spotted for thousands of years, why would one appear now?" He grumbled.

"A sign maybe?" The third said "a sign that our wealth should soon be restored"

There was silence before they all said "skazi"...


	7. Chapter 7 -new feelings and hidden power

Done

The king slipped into bed after the ball, tired and feeling the repercussions of drinking a little too much wine. As He lay next to helke he couldn't help but urge to hold helke to him. He slowly slipped and arm around her and pulled her close to his chest as she I continued to sleep. She stirred slightly but settled down, nuzzling into the kings chest. He slowly stroked her soft hair as she slept. He knew people had seen what she was capable of and he was sure trouble would follow soon. As he ran his fingers through her long white hair he looked at the picture of him, his wife and son. He scowled at the guilt that rose up his chest. She had been dead for so many years now, he had grieved enough. But he still felt he loved her. As he was about to settle down for the night he pricked up and listened. He felt suddenly unnerved and on edge. He listened but all he could hear was helke's gently breathing. He pulled the covers over the two of them more and lay down unsurely to sleep...

It was not the sun that woke him the next morning but the absence of his iceling. He shot up suddenly and looked around. He quickly got dressed, not bothering with his crown and bolted out. He took a deep breath once outside his chambers. He thought if he seemed panicked his people would panic and he had enough on his plate with the talk of war. He walked briskly to the stables and to his surprise she wasn't there. He checked anywhere which he knew she knew of. "Where are you?" He muttered to himself as he strolled through his halls...

Meanwhile...

"I know it's hard. It took me a while to get use to it, just try pulling it back as far as you can" encouraged legolas. He had found helke sitting around rather aimlessly in the kitchens that morning and asked if she would like a go at archery. She wasn't very muscular so pulling the bow back was troublesome for her. She had not yet been able to hit the target, missing by a few inches each time.

"You know, I do not see a lot of you. My father often keeps you in his room" said legolas as he strung another arrow for her.

"He's...kind. And generous" she said.

He smiled and said "he's not always in a such a good mood".

Helke smiled as she pulled the string back and far as she could, concentrated and released. Legolas stared as the arrow hit the bullseye. He took the bow and checked everything was as it should be.

"Jealous?" She teased lightheartedly. Legolas smiled at her and she grinned.

"My father is quite fond of you" he said as he fetched the arrows for her to try again.

"How can you tell?" She questioned.

"Just the way he is around you. Protective, gentle. Like he doesn't want to scare you off" legolas explained.

"He can be scary?" Helke asked as she picked up the elegant arrow.

"Only trouser browningly" he said and helke burst out laughing.

"You there" the king said demandingly to a young she elf. She curtsied and said "yes your highness?"

"Have you seen the iceling in these halls?" He asked, his eyes cold. He had searched everywhere and had not found a trace of her and was beginning to worry.

"Last I saw of her she was in the kitchens m'lord" she said respectfully and thranduil swept off to the kitchens. He couldn't piece together why on earth she would want to go to the kitchens!

As soon as he stepped in everything went silent. "I was told helke was here?" He questioned.

"Your son took her out to practice archery" said the elf who was head of the kitchens.

"Am I to go on a wild goose chase?!" He asked himself as he slammed the door shut and stormed off to the training grounds which where outside of the palace.

Sure enough the white haired beauty and his son were there. The king watched from afar as helke strung an arrow and let it fly, each one hitting the target, sometimes even the bullseye.

He stepped forwards, closer and closer until legolas said "ah, father" and helke dropped the bow in surprise, the arrow flying off randomly.

Helke could not help feel like a child being told off as thranduil looked down at her coldly.

"Do you realise the extent I had to go through to find you?" He asked and legolas shuffled uncomfortably. "Or how worried I became?" He pressed. Helke just looked down.

"But father, she was quite safe with me-"

"And you" thranduil said coldly. "You should have known better than to bring her out into the heat, let alone outside the palace" he said angrily.

The two stood in front of the king looking at their feet as he bared down on them like an angry bear.

"You must come back to the palace. And you should be on duty" he commanded, looking from helke to his son. Helke sighed quietly and looked at legolas and his bow longingly.

"Bye" said legolas as he packed up his bow and headed towards the forest.

"Are you not happy in my company?" The king asked once legolas was out of hearing range.

"Of course I am. I just got fidgety for being in all day" she said quietly, suddenly feeling extremely tired.

"I only wish to protect you" he said defensively. She yawned widely and stumbled left slightly before the king caught her.

"The sun is taking it's affects on you" he said as he held her safely. The sun would heat icelings, melting the Ice crystals in their body and making them highly weak, in some cases even killing them. She clung to him as he picked her up and brought her inside. He only became worried when she began panting and her head began to lull back, her eyes becoming unfocused. He brought her to his bathroom quickly and did the only thing he knew to, He let some water pour into a bucket and drenched her (clothed and all). She gasped as the water hit her and ran down her body. He continued to drench her to cool her off until the ice began to freeze.

"I feel Funny" she said as he grabbed a soft towel.

"You need to stay out of the sun" he explained as he placed the towel on top of her head and gently dried her white hair. The two stared at each other as he dried her hair until she leaned in and connected their lips. He kissed back and dropped the towel as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently nibbled on her lower lip, asking for entry but she didn't pick up on the subtle hint. He gently nudged her lips with his tongue and she opened her mouth experimentally. She moaned as he rubbed his tongue against her's and his hands slipped down to her hands. She ran her fingers through his soft blonde hair as he ran kisses down her neck, occasionally nipping and sucking. She moaned loudly when he hit her soft spot. He smirked to himself and bit down and sucked, creating a purple mark of dominance. He kissed her her neck but stopped when he reached her cleavage. He looked at her and straightened up. He ran a hand over her breasts and she gasped when his thumb ran over the aroused numb. She pressed her self to him and he picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He walked to the bed and lay her down and climbed on top.

"You are beautiful" he whispered as he admired her gorgeous hair, spread out like a fan underneath her.

"You are handsome" she said and he smiled. He kissed her again but with more passion. She kissed back hungrily and he ran her hands up his sides, than suddenly...burning. There was a burning cold sensation on his lips. He hissed and pulled away quickly and touched his lip to find it freezing cold. He looked down to see frost beginning to collect underneath helke. He went over to the mirror and checked his lip. It was indeed paler than usual, it appeared she had almost given him frost bite.

"I'm sorry" she said quietly from the bed.

"You are nervous?" He asked as he turned around. She shook her head honestly.

"Scared?" he questioned, she shook her head again. He scowled and looked down.

"I must go. Rest" he said shortly and swept out of his chambers. There was one thought running in his head all the time he was walking to his throne room. 'Could there be more to icelings than were written in books? Things nobody knew about?'...


	8. Chapter 8 - a turn for the worst

Done

Three dwarves packed up and set off early in the morning, their sights set on mirkwood. They had had word confirmed that there was indeed an iceling in mirkwood but that she was tightly under the king's thumb. "This better be worth it" one coughed as they set out through the early sewed grass.

"Once we get her power nothing will stand in our way" the second said.

"Maybe even the king will accept a price for her!" Cackled the third and they all laughed.

Meanwhile on palace helke helped cut up some vegetable for that evening's meal whilst the king saw to his duties. "That's it" encouraged the head elleth as she watched helke slice the carrots. Nothing seemed to phase the head elleth, earlier helke had accidentally froze a broth which the elleth had just said "wait for it to thaw and carry on"

"You and the king seem rather...cosy" she teased nudging helke playfully and helke just blushed. "Is he good in bed?" She asked and helke looked up confused.

"You know. Sex?" She said quietly but helke just blinked at her. "My, my" the elleth chuckled. "You may want to ask the king about sex" she laughed and walked away.

Later that day helke was aloud to visit the king who was sat lazily on his grand antler throne. "Come here" he said, stretching his hand out lazily. She slowly and timidly walked up the steps to his great throne. He sat lazily, his large silver coat draped around him, only held up by his wrists. In one hand he held a staff whilst the other settled on the arm of the throne.

"Sit" he said plainly once she had reached the top of the stairs. She looked around for a space until it clicked in her head. His lap. She sat quietly down on his lap rigidly.

"Relax" he cooed in her ear, pushing back some of her white hair. She shivered at the contact but leaned back and began to feel more at ease. She leaned back against shoulder and he moved her so she was side saddled and curved up on his lap. He soon began to display affections upon her neck and cheek as she sat sideways on his lap. The feel of his warm lips upon her skin made her body tingle and a glow spread throughout her. He nipped and sucked at the soft pale skin of her neck.

"What is sex?" She asked suddenly, making the king stop.

"Who told you about that?" He asked as he leaned back.

"The kitchen elleth" she replied plainly.

He chuckled and said "I will tell you later, for now I think it be best you forget about it" he said and she nodded reluctantly.

At dinner time A bowl of green roots and leaves was set in front of helke, matching the king's. she looked down at hers than the the kings. "What is wrong?" Said the king as he watched her examine her food and reached for his drink.

"Do you have any meat?" She asked shyly and the king almost snorted his drink. He grabbed a napkin and dried his mouth before saying " you sound like a dwarf".

Helke looked down at the bowl of greens again, craving the iron she knew meat would posses. "He sighed and said "there may be some rabbit in the kitchen" tiredly. He signalled for a maid to come to him. He said something in elvish and the maid bowed and scurried off quickly. 10 minutes later she came back with a bowl of cooked meat. As helke ate it she found that it didn't fill her craving, if anything made it burn more. "Better?" Asked the king as he ate the greenery. Helke just nodded as she ate the cooked rabbit

.

Late that night helke slipped down to the empty kitchens and looked in the cold stone box where the meat was kept. 'Am I really going to do this?' She asked herself as she took out a freshly skinned hare. She timidly took a knife and ran it along the belly of the animal. She closed her eyes as she picked up the insides and ate them slowly. They didn't not taste as bad as she thought they would and the raw meat seemed to extinguish the burning hunger she had. As she pulled some raw meat off with her teeth she heard a noise from the door. She froze. Her hands, mouth and dress were covered with red blood and the hare lay on the table In front of her.

"Oh!" The head elleth squeaked as she saw helke. "Helke- what on earth are you doing?!" She asked when she saw the raw rabbit and the iceling's red stained hands.

"I-I I just needed-" started the iceling but wasn't sure what she could say.

"A...strange preference I must say" she said, slightly taken aback by helke's eating habbits.

"I'm sorry" she said frightenedly.

"does the king know?" Asked the elleth gently and helke shook her head. Suddenly the door opened and the king stepped in. "What on earth is-" but he stopped once he saw helke. He looked upon her with disgusted eyes as she wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her arm.

"What on earth are doing?" He questioned. Helke just looked away, wishing she had just stayed in bed.

"Do not utter a word to anybody" warned the king to the elleth as he lead helke away roughly.

He took her to his bathroom and washed the blood off her mouth and arms and also got her to strip from her red stained dress.

"Why did you wish to eat a raw animal?" Asked the king once helke was re dressed.

"I don't know" whimpered the iceling. "My body just wanted it. I didn't know what else to do" she defended.

"Do you have any idea what sort of talk will arise now?! People will say your are impregnated" he hissed but helke did not understand what the word meant. The king sighed and kneeled down when he saw helke sitting upon the grand bed, shaking like a leaf.

"Perhaps" he started quietly. "There are still things for me to learn about your race"

"Are you not angry?" She asked and he shook his head.

"Not angry, taken back maybe" he said and she nodded.

"I do not want you to however continue to eat uncooked animals, it is quite possible for you to catch diseases from them. And I do not want to see you become sick" he said and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I love you" the iceling said suddenly and the king smiled.

"And I you my love" he cooed. He picked her up and settled her in bed with him and a soft breeze ran through the room.

Helke began to hum quietly as she twirled the king's long hair around her fingers and plaited it. The king relaxed as the iceling hummed and played with his hair. He pressed a loving kiss to her lips before drifting off.


	9. Chapter 9 - helke is taken

Done

Thunder cracked loudly in the sky but it did not bother the king. He rolled over and reached out to feel the body of his iceling but she was not there. He sighed and sat up. She could not seem to understand that to many she was an item of value and would happily hurt her and would often go walk-abouts at nighttime. He sighed again and went down the stables where he found her asleep, cuddled into his elk and her calf. Helke did not like extreme weather like thunder but also didn't like waking the king so would often slip down and sleep with her favourite elk (who had recently given birth to a calf)

He stepped forward and shook helke's shoulder very gently. "My love" he whispered and she woke.

"Come to bed" he said as she petted nervously at the calf's fur. "Come" he repeated as he straightened up. She got up tiredly and the calf tried stumbling after her.

"No baby, stay with your mummy" said helke as she noticed. She pouted at the sad look in it's eyes but the king said "you will have plenty of time to be with him tomorrow, but for now I want you close by" pulling her close and she nodded.

Although it was nighttime helke did not feel sleepy whereas the king felt exhausted. Helke fetched some spare parchment and began sketching the king on it with a quill. She smiled as it began to take form, It was of the king perched upon his throne. She looked as the king slept and noticed how tired and warn out he looked. She timidly move some hair away from his face and smiled at his ears. She always found elven ears to be most peculiarly shaped. She ran her finger along the shell of his ear and he shivered involuntarily in his sleep. She giggle quietly to herself and withdrew her hand from his ear. She but her lip and pulled down the covers of the bed and studied his body. He had a muscular build on his shoulder and chest and defined muscles on his abdomen.

She ran her fingers down his body until thranduil said "helke darling go to sleep" helke blushed at the fact she had been caught and lay down with thranduil so they were in a spooning position.

The king was woken the next morning at an ungodly hour when she sun wasn't even up by one of the members of his court. He dressed quietly so not to wake the iceling and left swiftly.

"M'lord. There are rumours there have been strangers spotted coming our way" said one of the guard as thranduil was perched upon his throne.

"How many?" The king asked.

"Only three. We think they are dwarves, we're not sure what they want" explained the guard. Dwarves. The king hated them with a passion. They were greedy, filthy creatures and he had a strange feeling he knew what they were coming for.

"Let them be for now. If they come any closer inform me at once" commanded the king and the guard nodded and hurried off. The king scowled in thought once the guard had left. He was sure that they would be coming for helke. He drummed his fingers against the wood of this throne as he thought hard...

Meanwhile...

When helke awoke she still felt quite restless. She ran down to the stables, (not bothering with shoes or dressing out of her nightgown) and the calf jumped up excitedly. "Hello" she whispered gently as she stroked it's tiny nose. For the first time since she had found the stables she noticed a brown leather contraption hanging by the side of stall on a peg. When she took it and straightened it out the mother elk obediently placed her head through the headpiece as she had been trained to do. "Oh, this must be for riding you" said helke fascinated by the elk's behaviour. She unlatched the stall and lead the elk out as the calf tried to follow its mummy.

"Stay there, she'll be back soon" helke said softly, pushing the calfs nose gently back into the stall and locked it. The elk nudged a blanket on the top shelf and helke had to stretch to get it. She guessed it was to put on the elk's back? The elk kneeled down and helke climbed onto her back timidly. She wobbled slightly and grabbed the elk's neck when she stood stood back up but soon regained her composure.

She held on tightly as the elk trotted out of the stable and towards the forest on a small dirt track as helke wondered whether this was safe. She decided that the elk was trained and should anything happen it would react quickly. As the elk lead helke deeper into mirkwood forest she couldn't help notice how wonderful things looked from up high, or at least they would if the trees were a little healthier. Suddenly the elk stopped, it's head upright and twitched her ears. "What's wrong?" Asked helke, listening herself but hearing nothing to cause alarm. Suddenly she heard the trudging off boots on the ground, but it was no way an elf would walk. They were loud, heavy and uneven footsteps.

"And how are we suppose to get the iceling once we get in?" Asked a voice not too far away. Iceling? Wasn't that what she was. Suddenly three small figures rounded the corner and stopped once they saw her. The grins that they held on their face showed helke they were not here as guests. The elk bolted the opposite way, sensing the danger the dwarves bought. Unfortunately helke was not prepared and slipped straight off her back and landed on the floor. She looked up at the dwarves edged towards her, chains in their hands.

"Easy" one of them whispered to the others, trying not to alarm helke and set off her powers.

"Stay away from me!" Helke shouted as ice began to cascade out from her.

"She's the one alright! Chain her up boys!" Said one of the men, running to her. They were quite short but much stronger than she was so knocked her over easily.

"No! HELP ME!" Helke shouted as sharp ice began shooting out from the ground to the men. Were these dwraves?! those creatures that had performed that terrible ritual on her ancestors?! is this why they had come for her?!

She slammed her fists on the ground and a shape icicle impaled one's leg. He cried out and fell, clutching his thigh.

"That's an iceling attack lad! Here, out this onto it" the gingerbeared dwarf said as he handed his friend some herbs and weeds from the ground.

"She's a fighter!" One of the called as he roughly yanked the chain around her.

The chain they used were no ordinary chains. Forged from dwarves, passed down from when icelings were hunted this chain prevented icelings from using their powers. Melting the ice crystals in their blood, but not enough to kill them.

Helke fell to the ground as more and more chains were pulled around her small body.

"Come on" said one of the ginger bearded dwarf pulling her to her feet roughly. Helke stumbled to her feet, wishing she had worn shoes on and followed them as she looked back at mirkwood, hoping her king would notice she was gone.

Meanwhile -

A guard ran in to the kings chamber suddenly, panting for breath.

"Your highness" he wheezed and the king looked down at him. "Your highness, your elk had returned from the forest in distress" he panted. The king stood abruptly. He had not given expressed permission for his elk to be taken out. The only person he knew that would visit the elk...helke...

He stormed out to where a guard held his elk, trying to sooth the unnerved creature. The king took the reins and petted her head, calming her down. "Is this where you found her?" Asked the king and the guard nodded "no rider?" He asked.

"No your majesty" the guard replied, shaking his head. The king breathed deeply, trying to calm himself.

"Where is your rider?" the king asked his elk's softly but the elk nudged him. "Take her back to the stables" he said handing the reins back to the guard and venturing out into his forest.

His heart skipped a beat where he saw sharp ice scattered around and finally collected in one place. And blood. There was blood on the ground. He knew it was not her's for iceling's blood was not red, it was a silver almost transparent colour, but it told him that there had been a struggle. That she had felt in danger and had acted out. And he had not been there to protect her. His jaw locked and his fist clenched as he stormed back.

"I want all warriors to search for the iceling up to our boarder! Report any sights to me immediately!" He called sharply and all the guards ran out into mirkwood forest. He was going to find her. And have those dwarve's heads...


	10. Chapter 10 - betrayal?

The dwarves tugged on the chains that encircled helke barbarically, tugging her forwards to walk faster. They wanted to get out of mirkwood forest and soon as possible. Her feet were bruised and cut and she could feel them throbbing as she walked. "Please, just let me rest" she pleaded but they pulled harder still and she squeaked. She wondered if the king was looking for her, if he had noticed if she was gone.

"He's not coming for yeh" said the black bearded dwarf, reading the icelings expression. "You were just a pretty object to him" he snarled. Helke scowled and stamped on the floor. Sharp Ice jetted out and the dwarf flew back into a tree close by. The ginger bearded dwarf tightened the chains, treating her like a misbehaving mule she she squealed in pain. He pulled her roughly and she tripped, muck and mud staining her perfect white hair and dress.

"Get up" the white bearded one snarled as he grabbed her by her Snow White locks and tugged her up. Helke walked pathetically with the dwarves, finally feeling exhausted and the chains began cutting off her powers. She panted from the exposure to the sun and wished she was still with the king who would bring her in and pamper her. She let cold tears slip as she realised she had brought the kidnapping on by her own actions. "Hurry up!" One of the dwarves called as he cracked a whip on her back. She cried out as she felt the leather of the whip hit her soft unmarked back.

"Let that be a reminder yee" said one and they all cackled. She closed her eyes tightly as she stepped foot outside of mirkwood for the first time. Mirkwood had been her home (although only a short while), legolas and the kitchen elleth being her only friends and thranduil had been her love. And she was sure she would never see any of them again...

"I'm sorry your father, I'm afraid we have not seen a glimpse of helke or the dwarves. We fear that they may have left mirkwood. If we could overstep the boarder now we may be able to catch up with them" reported legolas as he stood in front of his father. Sending warriors out over the mirkwood border was not something that thranduil was fond of. Legolas watched as his father thought hard.

"We shall search the forest for longer, if there is still no trace than maybe leaving the border will be taken into consideration" said thranduil finally.

"But father, we've checked everywhere the forest has to offer. They must be outside the border. You must let us look!" Begged legolas. He had grown attached to the beautiful creature and did not want to see her be harmed by dirty dwarves.

"Do you go against me?!" Questioned thranduil angrily as he rose from his throne.

"You love her" legolas stated as he held his father's menacing stare. "I can tell by the way you watch her. But if you really loved her you would not think twice about sending your men out of mirkwood. Who knows what those dwarves have already done to her" said Legolas angrily and he stormed out.

Not more than an hour later Half of thranuil's men were sent outside of mirkwood border to search for the iceling and thranduil was beginning to contemplate searching for her himself.

He had become restless and anxious, knowing his helke was not safe and protected. He worried himself into a headache as he thought about her walking in the sun for hours on end with no water to cool her down. That thought was the last straw. He picked up his sword and set it upon his hip and strode out.

His people were not surprised to see that the king was going out to the forest. He had often guarded his kingdom himself, taking shifts for warriors that had worked hard.

"Anything?" Asked the king anxiously as he gripped his bow and strapped the arrows to his chest.

"Nothing you highness" said a guard, bowing in respect. Thranduil sighed heavily and stepped into the forest, instantly recognising the musty smell of the trees. "They are diseased" he said softly, touching the bark of one of the ancient trees. He ventured out into the forest on guard, looking round as took soft steps. He needed to find her, he was worried sick to his stomach.

He picked up his pace through the forest as memories came back to him in flashes

"THRANDUIL! Help!" He closed his eyes and breathed In deeply as he remembered how his wife had cried for him as an orc impaled her with their sword. How the blood had run down her white dress. How he held her close as she fell to the ground dead. How him and his son Spend the night together.

He didn't want to lose someone else to greed. He dug his fingernails into his palms and felt them cut into the soft skin.

He was still searching when it was dark and the air was becoming colder. "Ada" said a voice behind the king. He turned around quickly, and saw legolas walking towards him looking tired.

"She's not here Ada. We have to get back. We'll look tomorow" he said.

That night thranduil could not sleep properly. He felt strangely hot without helke's cool body under the sheets with him. Her unusual squeaks in her sleep and occasional nuzzles. He got up and went down to the stables, half expecting her to be there, smiling and stroking the elk's fur like usual. But of course she was not, he did not know where she was, what state she was in or even if she was still alive.

"Why" he asked quietly as he watched his elk and her calf sleep soundly together. "Why was she so adventurous?"

Meanwhile...

Helke stumbled as she followed the dwarves infront, She was close to collapsing with little water and exposure to the sun without any type of shade but was now thankful for the darkness which surrounded her.

"We should rest here tonight. Tie her here" said the dwarve gruffly as he set down his rucksack. They were in a field of tall grass with the occasional tree scattered around. The dwarf bound the chain around the tree and hammered it into place.

"Please" said helke hoarsely, desperate for any type of drink. The ginger elf grabbed a small pouch of water and put it clumsily to the iceling lips. Helke gulped down as much as she could but the majority of it went onto her breasts and shoulders.

"We walk a full day tomorow. No stopping" he said getting close in helke face and she could smell staleness upon his breath. She closed her eyes tightly and lay down as the dwarves cooked sausages and joked. Suddenly a lush green leaf floated by, riding on the soft breeze and helke caught it with her bounce hands. It reminded her of the kings's crown, with winding ivy and green leaves. She allowed tears to slip down her face as she embraced her death. She would die a horrible and painful death, alone and unloved. Did the king ever love her? Where the dwarves right? Was she just a pretty item that the king liked to set on his arm, just to say that she was his? She gripped the grass angrily as she thought of this, and could no suppress the sense that the king had betrayed her. She had even slept within the same bed...curled up to him...

She closed her eyes and allowed and uncomfortable sleep to consume her, knowing tomorrow would be agonising.


	11. Chapter 11 - lothlorien

Done

The next morning helke was awoken by pure bliss. The dwarves threw a bucket of water over her to wake her and she finally felt the headache easing. She stood unsteadily as they yanked on her chains and she stumbled after them as they continued to walk through the long grass. The sun seemed to mock helke as it rose higher into the sky and became hotter and hotter throughout the day.

"Keep up iceling" the black bearded dwarf spat angrily as he yanked the chains that had begin to rub against helke's soft pale skin causing them to become raw and painful.

As the sun beated down on the helke the three dwarves stopped to examine a map.

"We should pass through this forest. We do not want the iceling dying before the skazi" said the ginger bearded one, pointing to the southern forest.

"Are you mad?!" They grey bearded one asked, his accent thick. "They say a witch lives in those woods! She would ensnare us and take what is ours!" He argued, referring to helke

"Surely you don't believe those old folk tales?! Are ye scared?" The third taunted and the ginger one scowled.

"I am not scared! So be it! We will pass through the forest!" He argued and trudged on.

They pulled on her chains and headed to a thick forest which had a sense of foreboding surrounding it.

As she stumbled through the thorns and vines helke heard a voice as clear as day which the other 3 appeared to have not.

"You are in great pain my dear" said the voice and helke looked around. It was a rather soft voice and helke was sure it belonged to a female. "I am sorry you had to endure so much suffering. The king should have kept you safe" the voice continued .

Suddenly arrows were surrounding her and the dwarves, elves pointing them.

"I told you!" The ginger haired one called.

A tall blonde elf which helke suspected to be a guard of some sort stepped forward and looked the dwarves up and down, a stoney expression on his face. This was haldir "What business do three dwarves and a-" haldir fell short when he saw the facial bone structure and white eyes and hair of helke, seeng she was neither elf nor man. He looked down angrily at the chains that enclosed around her. "An iceling" he said quietly. He had never seen one before, but had heard tales of their ancient beauty. He was sure they were extinct.

Helke looked up at the mention of her specie but exhaustion was beginning to take it's toll. She felt her eyes beginning to droop and her legs become weak.

"Take these...filth to the dungeons" said haldir angrily when he pieced together why three dwarves were in the company of an iceling. Angry they wanted to take such beauty from the earth so quickly, just when she had been given life.

Three elves escorted the dwarves away as they kicked and shouted dwarfish profanities at them.

"And you" said haldir softly but bolted forwards to catch helke as her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the floor.

"Water!" Called haldir to his men. "Get me water now!". Rumil came forwards seconds later with a leather sack of water. Haldir emptied the pouch onto helke's face and scowled when it had no effect.

"She must be taken to lady galadriel quickly, rumil I leave you in charge" haldir said to his brother and rumil nodded. Haldir picked helke up swiftly and ran off towards galadriel.

Galadriel was of course expecting helke and was not surprised when his march warden rushed to her, the iceling In his arms.

"She needs a room and plenty of water, she may survive yet" said galadriel calmly, watching helke's soft, shallow Breathing. "Take her to a guest room, see to it she is kept OUT of the sun, she must have plenty of water" she said cooly and haldir nodded, whisking her off to a room.

He climbed up some light marble steps and placed her and a bed softly, pulling the curtains over. Before he left he studied her, concentrating hard. He couldn't under stand where she had come from or why she had been allowed into the dwarves grip in the first place. He shut the door behind him and went back down to lady galadriel.

"m'lady" he said bowing in respect as she turned to face him. "I am sorry to bother you, but I do not understand. An iceling?" He asked, shaking his head softly in confusion.

"She was bore not too long ago, in the lands of mirkwood" she explained. "I sense she had a strong connection with the king. Love maybe? Although I feel her love for him has faltered" She said softly. "But she is safe for now. I shall alert king thranduil that we have her safely here, I presume that he is most worried about her" she said looking out into the distance. And she presumed right.

The king sat upon his throne, eyes closed and a deep scowl of his features. He had let a few tears slip over the past hour put had decomposed himself. He blamed himself for whatever pain helke was in now. He should have kept her close to him at all times. He knew how valuable she was to others but she did not understand. She thought all people were humane and kind. He suddenly opened his blue-green eyes when he heard a voice within his head.

"She is safe for now" said a soothing female voice. He looked around, sure he was going mad from loss of sleep and stress.

"Galadriel" he said quietly, closing his eyes again.

"She is safe within lothlorien. Come to her" said the voice before it went away completely. Thranduil sheathed his sword to his hip and stormed down the stone steps of his throne.

"Father?" Asked Legolas confused when he saw his father storming off, a determined look on his face.

"I know where helke is, I must travel to lothlorien. I leave you in charge Legolas" Said the king seriously and legolas nodded.

"Thank you father. Do you not require any assistant?" Called legolas but his father had already gone.

Thranduil hurried down to the stabled and strapped up his elk.

"I am sorry little one, I will be taking your mother away for a short time" said thranduil softly to the playful calf which stumbled after his mother as he locked the stable door. He smiled sadly as he remember how fond helke was of him. The elk knelt down for the king and he got on her back. The king set a fast trotting pace as he ventured out into the forest, his sights set firmly on lothlorien, to find helke and bring her back safely.


	12. Chapter 12 - safe and sound

Done

It took only a few days for the king to travel to lothlorien, only stopping when completely necessary.

He could tell it was different here, even the air smelt different to him. He looked upon the elves that guarded the boarder coldly as they rose their arrows to him as he rounded a corner

"Your highness!" Haldir instantly lowered his bow and bowed lowly as the others followed.

The king slipped off of his elk gracefully and stood a good few inches taller than haldir. " I am here to see galadriel, lady of light" he said sternly.

"Of course" said haldir politely.

Haldir escorted the king to galadriel who go course was expecting him and left the two alone.

"Thranduil, king of mirkwood" she said cooly, staring levelheadedly at him.

"Where is she?" He asked rather rudely.

"So concerned. Do you not think that we have taken good care of her?" Galadriel questioned as she stepped down the steps.

"She is a nervous creature" he stated plainly, masking his worry.

"Indeed, almost froze my best maid when she awoke" said galadriel as the king remembered the first time one of his maids had found out that she was an iceling. "I know you care deeply for her" stated galadriel staring into the kings's eyes.

"You know nothing of me" the king whispered angrily but quietly. The two elves stared at each other for a few minutes before galadriel finally spoke. "She is resting at the moment, I will lead you to her"

The king followed behind galadriel as he walked through the halls of lothlorien, people stopping and bowing to him.

Finally they stopped at a white wooden door which galadriel opened quietly and stepped in. Thranduil's eyes locked onto helke's sleeping form in the large bed, a silk blanket covering her.

"She is weary" said galadriel softly as her and thranduil looked upon the sleeping iceling. Thranduil walked forwards as calmly as he could and leaned down to examined helke, the cut on her forehead, the bruise on her cheek.

"Where are they?" Asked the king angrily as he rose, "those filth that did this to her"

"Justice has been served" galadriel replied cooly.

"I shall see their heads are-"

"She is safe for now, let her rest" galadriel interrupted looking upon helke's sleeping form. Thranduil looked coldly at galadriel before kissing helke's forehead and stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers and followed galadriel out, shutting the door softly behind them.

Helke awoke just as the door shut and she sat up quickly. She pounced from her bed and ran to the door, tripping up on her way. She wrenched the door open and looked out as she saw thranduil and another female elf walking away, through the halls. Both elves turned around when they heard the door opening and thranduil smiled. Helke ran to the king and threw herself into him as tears began flowing down her cheek.

The king held her close to him protectively and smiled gently as she sobbed into him.

"Hush" he cooed as he stroked her hair lovingly and galadriel smiled.

"I was so scared" she sobbed into his chest.

"I know my love. But I am here now." He said softly and helke breathed in heavily through her mouth.

"You were very brave" said galadriel as she watched helke. Helke shyly looked over to galadriel but buried her face within the kings's chest. Thranduil placed a hand over her head soothingly and held her close. It sent waves of relief through his body to hold her close, know she was under his wing again.

"You should sleep now, regain your strength" she said softly to helke but helke obviously did not like that idea. Galadriel could not help but see how helke resembled a child. The way she clung to the king, not wanting to be left alone again.

"I shall be close by, you are safe" comforted the king quietly as helke clung to his silk coat.

"You promise?" She asked quietly.

"Of course" replied the king sincerely. Helke pulled back and looked between galadriel and her king before slipping back into the room.

"She is strong" said galadriel as they looked out at lothlorien.

"She is unstable" the king corrected.

"She has a name?" Asked galadriel.

"Helke" he replied shortly as a breeze gently picked up his blonde locks.

"You do love her, do you not? The affections you displayed upon her" said galadriel.

"Yes.." Said the king.

"And yet something is holding you back" she said looking at him from the corner of her eye to see him tense up. "The love for your queen" galadriel said. "If you never let her go, you shall never fully love helke"

Thranduil said nothing to the lady of light, knowing she was right. "Fate had brought you two together. It is time to leave the past as it is" said galadriel as she turned away and left the king to his own thoughts.

The king stared out at lothlorien for what felt like forever. Thinking of his queen. She had been an inch or two taller than helke with a thin frame and long blonde hair. He closed his eyes as he remembered her beautiful green eyes. He could almost hear her voice now as the wind blew gently. He had not been there to protect her either. He had allowed her and Legolas to venture out to the woods on a warm sunny day as he sat outside nearby on a wooden seat. It was the scream that had pulled him out of his drowsy thoughts. He had sat up bolt upright when he heard her screaming.

"GO LEGOLAS!"

"Caladwen?!" He called his wife's name as he bolted from his seat to see a younger Legolas running out to his father in tears.

"Ada!" He called as his father picked him up. A crowd formed around the forest edge and thranduil handed legolas to a maid as legolas sobbed. The king headed out to the forest and tears filled his eyes when he saw his wife lying on the floor, red blood covering her middle where a sword had impaled her. He held her limp body close as he cried. Nearby he saw a nearly dead Orc, twitching slightly. He placed his wife down on the ground with a kiss and unsheathed his sword, stalking towards the Orc, like an animal hunting it's prey. The Orc chuckled when he saw the tears on thranuil's face and the rage in in his eyes. Before he could say anything thranduil stabbed him with his sword viciously.

That night legolas had slept with his father in his mother's place on their bed. Neither of them could sleep, they just lay in the warmth as thranduil tried to hush his son's heartbreaking cries...

"Thranduil?" Asked a quite voice behind him, pulling him out of his past. He turned around to see helke, her white hair slightly messy, a shawl covering her small shoulders.

"How long have you been there?" Chuckled the king as she came forward sleepily.

"Not long, I couldn't sleep" she said drowsily as she leaned into him. He wrapped his red silk coat around her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

"I am sorry" he said quietly as the breeze rustled the trees.

"For what?" She asked confused, looking up at him.

"For not protecting you, letting you be captured" he explained but she shook her head.

"It was my fault. I did not stay close as you requested and I suffered the consequences" she said and the king smiled at her new maturity.

"You have learnt your lesson then? Asked the king and the iceling nodded.

"Thranduil" she said quietly and the king looked down at her.

"Yes?"

"I hate dwarves" she replied angrily.

"As do I" he said as he pulled her hair back softly from her neck. "Come, let us go home" he said turning away from the window and she nodded.

'Keep a very close eye on this one thranduil.' Galadriel whispered in thranduil mind as thranduil rode out with helke side saddle in front. He felt very uneasy and on guard as he rode through the grassy lands with an exhausted helke. He knew really he should have waited the night before traveling back but he wanted to be in his own kingdom with helke as soon as was possible.

He was going to keep helke's danger to a minimum, even if that meant her staying with him 24/7.


	13. Chapter 13 - like father like son!

The king was true to his word. He kept helke close at ALL times, keeping her in his throne room when he was tending to business, even if she was unhappy with it. Thranduil was beginning to feel like he was trying to train a puppy as he often caught her trying to sneak out and scolded her. Unaware to both of them the kings's son, Legolas, was watching and found the scenes slightly comical but more often than not...sad. He saw helke like a butterfly that needed to stretch her wings but was being coped up in fear of her flying away.

At the moment she was staring out a window longingly in the throne room. The king took a breath to speed to her when he saw she was staring out the window and sighed. A small pretty blue bird flew in and she smiled as it landed on her hand and cheered cheerfully, but gasped in horror as the pretty creature frosted over and fell to the floor. dead. She retracted her hand away from the window quickly and crossed her arms.

Her powers were overflowing now after being kept in doors without exercise or fresh air for a week now.

"Helke" called the king softly when helke bent down and picked up the small bird. She gently ran a finger over it's silky feathers sadly, a melancholy expression on her face.

The stepped down from his throne and looked over her shoulder as she continued to stroke the dead blue bird.

"It's dead" she croaked quietly as she stared at the bird.

"Helke" started the king but he did not know quite what to say. He gently took the bird from her hands as she continued to stare at the spot it had been on her hands moments ago.

"I think it maybe time for you to get some air" he said to a lethargic helke and she just nodded tiredly.

As many people rejoiced at the warm summer that was blooming in thranduil's kingdom , helke hated it and could not wait for winter to come. She could only stay out for 5 minutes before she began to feel lightheaded and had to come back in.

Not long after the king and helke returned to the throne room a tall female elf with ginger hair walked in.

"M'lord I wish to speak to you" she said bowing neatly. "Alone, if that is convenient" she added, looking to helke.

The king too looked at helke and said "very well, but make it quick, helke you may retire in my chambers" said the king, looking down to helke and the ginger elf. The elleth looked down as helke left quickly and turned to walk down the halls to the king's chamber. As she turned a corner she bumped straight into someone. She looked up nervously and a smiled "legolas" she said, her accent not quite spot on so sounded more like 'legalas'.

"Helke! I thought you would be with my father!" He guessed after watching her being glued to him for a week.

"Him and another elleth are having a private conversation. I have to go to his chambers" she said sadly.

"Well, I don't think a few minutes of fresh air would do any harm" legolas hinted and helke looked up, smiling widely.

"But thranduil-" she started nervously

"I will not tell if you do not" he teased and she smiled widely as she crept through the halls with the king's son, nervous excitement bubbling in her stomach. She stopped in the doorway of the halls and looked out as the sun shined brightly.

"I can't" she said, looking out at the heat.

"The forest will provide enough shade, come" he said and jogged lightly over to the thick forest and helke sprinted after him. Sure enough the forest trees provided a wide range of shade, allowing helke to wonder in comfort.

"Are you not scared?" Asked helke as she brushed by a tree and it frosted over.

"Why should I be? You are not malicious by any means" replied legolas confidently as he stroke through the forest next to legolas.

"Malicious?" She asked curiously, not knowing the meaning of the word.

"You mean no harm to come to others, you are kind" explained legolas slowly, looking down at the iceling, admiring her soft beauty. He had never really had the chance to admire the iceling until now and it was only now that he realised why his father was so fond of her.

"Teach me some elvish" begged helke as they walked through the leaves and blossom.

"Well that are a few different types of elves and elvish" explained legolas as he tried to bite back laugh when he saw helke was bare footed.

"What?" Asked helke quickly, looking down at her feet than smiled.

"They are uncomfortable" she complained, referring to shoes. "Anyway, different types of elves" she pressed, nudging legolas playfully.

"Right, right. There are noldor's, the highest type of elves, then Sindar's which is what me and my father are. Then lastly there is silvans" he explained. "Language wise there's sindarin which is what we speak and quenya" he finished.

Helke stared up at him blankly at legolas laughed "okay, we'll just do some Sindarin" he chortled as he tried to think of some easy words

"Hello is suilad" he said slowly.

"Suilad" helke copied and he nodded.

"Um, thank you is le hannon" he said and she mimicked.

"The common elvish for ice is helke" said legolas and watched helke smile widely but tried to hide it.

"Bain is beautiful" he said and something changed in his voice. It was gentler, more caring...and loving...

Helke just looked down, deciding not to mimic the word this time.

"Mel is love" he said, brushing his hand against helke and helke stopped in her tracks and looked up at the elvish prince. Legolas too stopped and looked down at helke, then leaned down until their lips were inches away...


	14. Chapter 14 - what love feels like

What are you doing?!" Helke cried out, stumbling away from the prince as his lips caught hers.

"Helke, please it is not only my father's heart that you hold" he begged but helke had already fled in the other direction, soft frost covering the ground.

Unknown to both of them someone had seen the prince's stunt. Kalwa, an elvish princess from a far off land had been trying to get legolas to ask for her hand in marriage many times. All those times legolas had refused (as politely as he could), saying someone else had stolen his heart. Kalwa now though it was time for some pay back against the elvish prince...

Helke sprinted back to the king's hall's quickly and to thranduil's chambers, breathing hard. She thought legolas was her friend? But now he had feelings for her too? To make things worse he was the son of the man she loved! Just as she sat on the bed thranduil came in and it looked as if helke had been sitting there obediently the whole time.

"I am sorry I was so long" thranduil said as he shut the door behind himself.

"It's alright, it was nice to have time to myself" she lied.

"You do not enjoy my company?" Asked the king as he sat by helke.

"Of course I do" helke said and she placed her head on his shoulder. She looked up and her heart caught in her mouth when her white eyes met his green-blue ones. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his passionately. His hands threaded themselves into her white long hair and deepened the kiss still. He picked her up and lay her down softly And climbed on top of her and caught his lips with hers again. She pressed the length of her body to his and gasped when she felt something press against her thigh.

"Do not be afraid" he whispered gently and ice collected below her. "I will not hurt you" he said and kissed her neck softly. She moaned quietly and he kissed her soft spot and began to lick and nibble it softly, creating a small red mark.

"Thranduil" she almost begged, clawing at his silk clothing. She unclasped the brocade fabric with unsure fingers and marvelled at his well toned chest and arms as she pulled it off.

"You my dear, are still fully dressed" he smirked and untied the front of her light blue silk dress. She sat up as he pulled it off gently and threw it on the ground. His eyes roamed helke's bare body hungrily as he slipped off his boots and trousers.

"What's happening?!" Asked helke suddenly, sitting up quickly.

"Do not be alarmed. This is what love feels like" he comforted and she slipped down again and allowed her to nip and lick at her neck and shoulder blade. She threw off his crown and his silver blond hair tickled her body. She giggled sweetly and pulled his hair back so that it rested on his back as he worked his lips down her neck. She cried out as his lips latched onto her breast and She arched into his touch, a strange new pleasant hotness coursing through her body.

"I love you" he said looking back up at her and pressed his lips to hers.

"I love you to" she said smiling at her king.

"this will only hurt for a minute" he promised and she nodded nervously, staring into his eyes before he entered her gently...

During intercourse helke had managed to suppress the ice which threatened to creep out, just from pure excitement. She panted as the king collapsed next to her, she had never felt anything so wonderful in all her life (although she had been alive for a very short time). It felt very strange for thranduil, having not had intercourse ever since his wife had died and was not use to the after feeling, the basking in the pleasure. He covered helke with the soft silver silk blanket and she began to get drousey.

'Finally' he thought to himself 'a night when she will sleep as much as I will!'

"Thranduil" helke said softly, taking his hand tightly

"What is it my love?" He asked as he leaned on his side, looking down at helke who was hugging her pillow.

"You will stay tonight wont you?" She asked nervously. There had been one occasion in which the king had had to leave a sleeping helke in the middle of the night. She had awoken nervously and had gotten herself worked up looking for him.

"Of course" he promised and kissed her forehead before pulling her into him and the two settled down.

Little did the two know that helke had just bonded with the elven king for life. The act of intercourse intertwining their lives and fates.

That night the king had a restful night but the next morning he found helke resting with her head on his chest, her arms locked around him. He feared any movement would wake her so he stayed put and rested for a little while longer until helke woke by herself. She smiled as she rested her chin on the king's chest and looked up at him.

"Good morning" she said happily.

"It is indeed" he agreed as he gently massaged the back of her head with his finger tips.

"You spoil me" she said shyly, smiling.

"I enjoy spoiling you, now breakfast?" He asked and she smiled widely. She had not eaten breakfast with the king ever since she had met him and had sometimes not eaten breakfast at all.

"What will you be having" she asked lazily.

"Fruit" he replied and helke scowled. She had never had 'fruit' only leaves and vegetables and one occasion a raw rabbit.

"Fruit?" She enquired as she sat up.

"Yes fruit, it is sweet" he said and she though for a moment.

"May I try some?" She asked politely.

"Helke my love, you may have anything you wish for" he boasted and she blushed. She suddenly looked down and remembered she was naked and grabbed the covers to cover herself with.

"Helke, you are not shying away from me are you?" He asked and she looked away blushing.

"I-" she started but he pressed his fingers to her lips.

"You need not be embarrassed. You are beautiful" he whispered and pulled the covers off of her, allowing the covers to slip off and he smiled at her delicate pale body.

Suddenly there was a knock in the door and helke slipped down and the king sat up, shielding his lover from prying eyes.

"Come in" he called cooly.

A young elleth maid peeped round the door timidly. She had heard that the king had a terrible temper and did not want to make him angry by interrupting anything. "I'm sorry for bothering you m'lord she said timidly "the kitchen elleth was just wondering whether you would be having breakfast in your chambers this morning?" She asked quietly.

"Yes I will be" said the king patiently. "Bring a wide range of fruits" he said and the elleth bowed and left.

"You're scary" laughed helke and the king chuckled.

"I am merely authoritative" he quipped and she smiled as she pressed her lips to his in a gently kiss. He kissed back just as gently and she allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth. Her Led her onto his lap as he massaged her tongue with his, coaxing her to be adventurous. She timidly deepened the kiss, rubbing her tongue along his and gently tugging his soft silver blond locks, making him moan quietly.

There was another knock at the door and the two pulled away as helke covered herself.

"Come in" he sighed as he sat fully up. The kitchen elleth which helke had become friends with entered, her head down in respect.

"Your food your highness" she said. setting a silver dish of a fantastic arrangement or sliced or peeled fruits and a porcelain jug of water down on a near by table. "Is there anything else I can get you my lord?" She asked.

"No that will be all" he said, waving her off and she curtseyed and flashed a tiny smile at helke before walking out. thranduil was just about to get up when helke got up instead and carefully took the jug off and lifted the silver plate up. She took it over to the bed and set it down carefully and slipped into an almost see through white nightgown before untying the silk curtains that surrounded the bed.

"You spoil me, so now it is my turn to spoil you" she purred and she plucked a grape from the bunch and fed it to thranduil. The elven king pulled the iceling to straddle his lap as she picked up a cube of dragon fruit and fed it to thranduil, allowing her fingers to brush against his lips. He watched with lust filled eyes as she slipped a peace of grapefruit Into her mouth. She stopped suddenly and ran to the bathroom and spat the bitter fruit out as the king chuckled. She wiped her mouth as she came back out, looking disheartened.

"Shall I do the choosing for you?" Thranduil asked in amusement and helke nodded. His fingers hovered over the fruit as he decided which fruit to choose. He ended up picking up a bright blue fruit by the name of - which was elvish for 'sweet' and gently placed it to her lips. She opened her mouth and cautiously consumed the fruit after a few slow chews she nodded happily and chewed enthusiastically and swallowed.

"Was that one better?" He asked and she nodded coyly.

After a breakfast of fruit thranduil slipped on his trousers and boots but helke slid her hands up his backs and shoulders, coaxing him to lie back down. He sat on the bed as she crawled up behind him and gently massaged his shoulders in circular motions. He breathed in deeply as she worked out all the knots in his shoulder. He hissed in pain when she hit a considerably tight knot and groaned quietly. She kissed his back gently as she continued to work through the knot and he moaned. She worked her hands down his back until he was completely relaxed and combed through his blonde locks with a wooden comb. She smiled as he dressed into a grey satin cloak and placed the crown upon his head.

"You will behave if I leave you here won't you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at helke and she nodded obediently.

"You know where to find me" he said before kissing her gently and he nodded. He shut the door behind Him and helke went over to the bookshelf...finding some interesting books to read.


	15. Chapter 15 - attack!

The king had only just sat on his throne when a guard entered, a familiar elleth and her chamber maid following him.

"My lord, princess kalwa of alkataure (meaning light woods)" introduced the guard as the princess stepped forward, a rather arrogant smirk on her face which she was trying to hide.

"Your highness, I wish to speak to you alone, if that is quite alright" he said, looking at the guard and her maid. The maid nodded but the guard looked up at thranduil who nodded and they both left, leaving the spoilt princess with the king.

"So princess, what has caused you to feel the need to come to me?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of her, he did not trust her.

"Well your highness, at first it was you son. I am rather fond of him you see but he does not return my feelings. Says another has his heart" he said fakery upset. The king saw through the act but merely tilted his head to the side in interest.

"Another elleth?" He questioned, he had never really seen his son interact with other elleth before except for the captain of the guards tauriel, and he certainly wasn't going to let him betroth her.

"I'm afraid not my lord" she said.

"A human?!" He asked in disgust and the princess laughed.

"Oh no my lord, your son would not stoop so low. I am afraid he is rather fond of the iceling that roams your lands, he tried to place affections upon her lips just this afternoon" he said almost smugly.

"Impossible, helke was in safely in my chambers" argued the king cooly.

"I do not lie your highness! I am afraid your son has fallen in love with the iceling..helke was it?" He asked and the king clenched his fists.

"You are over staying your welcome, kalwa of alkataure" said the king and calmly as he could and the princess curtseyed and walked out, a satisfied smirk on her face.

thranduil did not want to storm out and cause a scene so merely stepped calmly down from his antler decorated throne and went for a 'walk'.

He burst angrily into his chambers, making helke jump and causing the covers to frost over and her to drop the book she was reading.

"You' he growled angrily as he shut the doors behind him and stormed to her. Helke scrambled off of the bed, ice following her feet and she retreated in fear at the king's temper.

"You lied to me!" He accused angrily as he stalked up to helke.

"I do not understand-" she started but before she could finish her sentence the back of thranduil's hand connected with her soft cold cheek in a harsh slap.

"Do not play dumb with me iceling. I have been informed about your affair with my son. How long have you been laughing behind my back?!" He bellowed but helke did not answer. Could not answer. She was in shock that her king, no, her lover had struck her.

"Look at me when I speak to you" he hissed and helke looked at the king with watery eyes.

"How long?" He snarled through bared teeth.

"I have not been unfaithful" she pleaded but he looked upon her with cold eyes.

"I shall decide your punishment once I talk to my son. You are to stay in this room under lock and key" he informed her angrily then stormed out and she heard him lock the door behind him before she fell to her knees and cried, trying to figure out what she had done wrong.

The king stormed out onto the archery ground angrily where he found his son practicing hard.

"LEGOLAS!" He bellowed, making the prince jump, his arrow missing the target completely.

"Father" he breathed, covering his heart like he was recovering from a stroke.

"How long?" Asked thranduil, glaring down at his son.

"Sorry father?" Asked legolas unsurely, looking round for a hint of what thranduil was talking about.

"You. And. Helke" said the king angrily but quietly.

"Father- I did not mean to- she only-" but the prince stopped and calmed himself "How do you know?' He questioned sheepishly.

"That is none of your concern" growled the king in a low voice.

"Please father, do not punish helke. She is so young, she did nothing. It was all my doing, I am sorry. Lust has clouded my thoughts" he sighed guiltily, looking down. Legolas had not seen his father this angry since he was a young elfling.

"I see" started the king cooly, obviously thinking hard. "In normal situations traitors would be send to exile. As you are my son however I am giving you a warning legolas. You shall also be put on double duty" said the king firmly and Legolas lowered his head, not wanting to anger his father anymore. The king turned away but before he walked off he stopped and said "Legolas. I will not always take into consideration that you are my kin, next time the punishment will not be so light" and Legolas Bowed in acknowledge.

"And one more thing" he added and Legolas looked up. "Stay away from helke, she IS mine" then strode away and he left a shocked legolas behind. He never though his father would be so...primitive...with his own son?!

Thanduil took a deep, calming breath before re-entering his chambers to see helke...oh dear lord. She had brought the baby elk up from the stable and onto the bed where it lay happily as she petted it. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy and he could tell from this that she had been crying. Soft, glimmering frost collected underneath her when she acknowledged the king's presence and he was deeply hurt to see that she felt frightened of him.

"Please don't hurt me" she squeaked quietly as she hiccuped and very sharp ice formed around her, scaring the baby elk.

"I am not here to hurt you helke, please relax" he said as he tried to get her to calm down. He walked towards her cautiously but she raised a hand quickly in defence and looked away in fear "no please!" She whimpered. It happened so fast the king hardly saw it happen. From helke's palms icicles jetted out and one impaled itself Into the king's forearm, instantly drawing blood from the deep wound. The wound was no ordinary wound, nothing like a stab from a sword and he could tell. he felt a cold, numb pain within his body, his very blood ached. The second the ice impaled his arm it had began melting, traveling into his blood stream, freezing him from the inside out. If he was not cured quickly, he would surely die in a mere half hour...


	16. Chapter 16 - age is a strange thing

The king cried out and clutched his arm as he knelt near the ground, trying to get his breath. Helke just sat wide eyed on the bed, frozen in time. The king looked down to see the blood that had oozed out was frozen onto his tunic. Helke ran out quickly, desperate to find help from anyone. She looked around sprinted down hallways and stairs until she ran face first into the ginger haired elleth from before. The elleth (tauriel) looked down questioningly at the young iceling.

"Please help" helke sobbed and tauriel's expression changed from questioning to deeply concerned.

"What on earth is the matter?" She asked softly.

"T-the K-k-king" helke stuttered through her tears "I have h-hurt him. I d-do not understand! He is in great p-pain" she finished, breathing unevenly.

Tauriel raced to the kings's chambers and burst through the door to see the king gripping the wood of his bed tightly. He had also gone a sickly pale from head to foot.

"My lord!" She exclaimed as she ran in.

"It is a mere scratch" he hissed through clenched teeth. He did not want to frighten helke or alarm anyone else. "Please, my lord. You need urgent assistant" she said. She had read almost every book in the mirkwood library so of course knew of the seriousness of an iceling attack.

"I shall fetch a healer, my lord" she said and rushed out. Helke stood timidly to the side of the doorway, peeping in every now and then I make sure the king had not collapsed or something of that nature. Not 5 minutes later a tall elleth with very long blonde hair and high cheeks bones appeared, giving helke a look that made even the iceling's 'blood' run cold (well, colder). It was a look of loathing and disgust. The healing elleth ran forwards and examined the king's injury to find the icicle had melted, the coldness now traveling through his blood. It would only be 30 minutes now until the coldness would reach his brain, instantly killing him so she had to work quickly. For the first time in a very long time the healing elleth had to refer to a book for her cure and Made a quick note of the herbs and ingredients needed for the cure. She handed the list to tauriel for her to fetch and the guard wasted no time.

The healer muttered words in elvish as she hovered her hand over the wound, hoping to slow down the process, giving her more time as an unconscious thranduil lay on his bed, breathing hard, All the time helke watched nervously from the doorway until the healer and her made eye contact.

"Go ice witch! You are not welcome here" she spat angrily and helke stumbled back quickly and ran. She did not know where she was going, only that she would not stay. She could not risk hurting someone else.

Tauriel returned minuted later with the ingredients mixed and heated, a cloth and bandage in her left hand.

The healer dipped the cloth into the mixture and pulled off the king's tunic to get to the wound. The elleth smirked as she looked at the elvish kings's well toned chest before gently pressing the cloth to the king's wound. The cry of pain that escaped the king's lips was like no other either of the elleth's had heard before, it was sharp and loud. For the king it felt as though he had jumped straight into boiling hot, then freezing cold water. His whole body shook from the pain that flowed through every inch of his body.

"I am sorry you highness" whispered the healer, seeing her king in great pain caused her heart to ache. She too (like many other elvish maidens) found the king extremely attractive and was jealous of helke. The colour began to flush back to his cheeks within a matter of minutes as the healer poured the rest of the mixture onto the king's arm and bandaged it up carefully.

"Where is helke?" Asked tauriel, looking round for the distinctive white hair but found none.

"I have not a clue" lied the elleth as she Marvelled at the kings's greatly sculpted chest. The healer knew that icelings where extremely valuable to many greedy-hearted men and secretly hoped that she would be captured again this time be gone for good.

"Oh no" said tauriel quietly as she rushed out, she also knew of the iceling's immense value. She ran out and essembled her men for a search party. "Look everywhere, if you find her approach her with caution. She is very easily frightened" called tauriel and her men split up...

Meanwhile...

Helke lay in a dark, deep pit, pain like she had never felt spread through her leg. She had been running and not seen a trap set up for intruders and had fallen straight into the deep pit, instantly breaking her left leg. She cried quietly as she shook and frost climbed up the sides of the pit.

"HELP!" She cried and her voice cracked as tears slid down her face. It was bad enough that she had broken her leg but there were also large thorns at the bottom of the pit that helke could feel digging into her. She was frightened. Where would she go if the king exiled her? Or would she be sentenced to death? She loved the king dearly but things had not been going her way as of late.

"Please!? Help me!" She cried again when she heard shuffling nearby. Over the side of the ditch helke saw an unfamiliar elf who was tall with long black hair with Half of it pulled back into a warriors braid,

"Do not worry" said the guard but he sounded more worried himself. "I shall get you out, you need not fear me. I am here to help" he tried relaxing her but ice still crept up the sides.

"It hurts" helke gurgled and the guard looked down to her sadly. He scowled when he saw her leg was twisted at a most peculiar angle then realised it must have been broken. The guard slipped down into the pit gracefully and thought of the best way to Carry the iceling. He tried slipping his hands underneath her back but pulled back quickly when she sobbed in pain. Was her back also broken? He looked down at the floor of the pit and saw it was covered with thorny vines.

"This will only hurt for a second" he promised and he picked her up quickly and turned her so that she was laying sideways in his arms, her back facing outwards. He looked down empathetically as he saw that the young iceling was shaking in his arms.

"Do not worry helke, you are in good hands" the guard promised as he headed back to the kings's hall. steadily, making sure not to knock helke's leg accidentally. He set helke on the edge of the pit before jumping out himself and picking her back up.

"Captain!" Called the elf as he jogged carefully back to the edge of the forest. "Captain she is here, I have her!" He called and tauriel rushed over to her.

"Take her to a healer" said tauriel, looking at the thorns embedded in her back and her broken leg.

"Yes captain" said the elf, bowing then taking off with helke in his arms. The guard, who's name was helwa (which meant light blue which were the colour of his eyes) took helke up to a small tower attatched to the kings halls and knocked with his foot as he held the iceling close. Thankfully the healer from before was still seeing to the king and an elf appeared. The elf was called anwa and had been a healer for 3000 years.

"She needs help" said helwa anxiously.

"Bring her in" said anwa sternly, opening the door and gesturing to a marble table on the centre of the room. Helwa set helke down on the side gently as she whimpered in pain.

"My my, look at you. You must have taken a rough tumble" he said as he looked at the bruises on her body and the thorns on her back.

"Will she be okay?" Asked helwa nervously and anwa looked up.

"Young elf I have been a healer for 2000 years. I have seen things much more gruesome than a broken leg and a few thorns" he said sternly and helwa nodded.

"Now, I am am going to pull the thorns out okay? It will hurt but I do not think you need any pain relief" he said to helke who was already drowsy, tierd from the pain.

Helke squeeled when anwa pulled out a long thorn that had embedded itself deeply into her soft back.

"Ssh" Anwa cooed gently, placing a hand over helke's head softly but not affectionately like thranduil would. It was a fatherly touch. Helke cried quietly as anwa picked the thorns out one by one as fast as he could. Transparent liquid with a slight shimmer to it oozed out of helke's wounds. This was the equivalent to blood to icelings. He dabbed a cloth in a mixture of herbs and hot water to clean the wounds, preventing any infections.

"Now, this broken leg" he said, moving over to helke's left leg. As helke was an iceling, coldness had rushed to the breakage, reducing the swelling but stiffening the joint up.

"I think a bathe may do some good, bring her" said anwa to helwa and the guard picked the iceling up and followed the healer. Outside was a small waterfall and a pool at the bottom of it which had heated from the hot sun.

"Place her on the step and keep her leg in the water. BE CAREFUL!" He called as helwa almost slipped on the slippery rocks, helke still in arms. There were enough trees to provide helke with shade as helwa set the iceling down, dipping her leg into the warm water. Anwa slipped into the pool and gently hovered his hand over helke's leg and muttered elvish. Helke felt a strange warmth in her leg and contemplated if this was what other felt like, warm all the time. She breathed softly as the elf worked his magic on the iceling.

"You will need to rest" he said as clouds began to block out the sun and knew it would not be too long before night fall. "You may rest in the healers tower" he said and helke nodded silently. Helke was taken back up to the healer's wing and fell straight to sleep as anwa watched over her as he read a book. Just then the door opened and the tall, cold elleth from before stepped through.

"Ah, amalda. How is his highness?" He asked, shutting the book softly,

"He is fine. He is resting for now. What is that doing here?" She asked, her voice laced with venom.

"HELKE is to stay with us tonight. It seems she took a tumble somehow. She was in a great amount of pain" anwa said, looking upon the sleeping elleth. He had bound her leg and was not allowing her to leave the healers tower until she could walk safely. That night was the first in a long time which helke and the king had slept by themselves.


	17. Chapter 17 - something wrong with helke

The next day anwa awoke early to check on the iceling to find her sound asleep. He smiled and shook his head softly as he shut the door behind him softly, allowing helke to sleep on. He busied himself reading through books that contained any information on icelings until he heard a crash for helke's room. He hurried over and opened the door to see her in the floor, the small bedside table pulled over onto the floor.

"I'm sorry" she squeaked when he looked in. "I tried to get up" she started and anwa chuckled.

"You must stay I'm bed and rest little iceling" he said as he picked helke up and settled her on the bed and picked up the bedside table.

"I am bored" she complained and anwa chuckled again. He left the room momentarily then came back with a stack of books, all about healing. She looked at them curiously as he set them down on the bedside table. "Here" he said, handing her the first book about healing with jems. She opened the first page and read through it silently. He was waiting for a reactions but nothing really came. She just read on page, after page.

"How long will she have to stay here?" Asked a voice behind anwa and he turned to see amalda standing unhappily in his way.

"Until she is fully recovered" he quipped, pushing past her as amalda glared at the door, as if she was trying to burn it down.

Over the next few days both helke and the king made good recovery's but neither one spoke to or saw each other. Helke was not well enough to walk to the king and thranduil was weary about frightening her, so the two kept their distances. over these days helke had taken a great interest in healing, reading every book on the subject that was written in man's language and assign frequent questions to anwa. Anwa had acted as a father to helke, more then a healer. He hushed her softly when she awoke in pain or discomfort and was extremely patient with her. He was even considering training her to heal herself. Icelings had great amount of healing powers but required years and years of training and practice to use them.

"I want to be able to help people" said helke as anwa talked to her about healing.

"It will take years for you to master, with lots of patience" he warned.

"I have both those!" She argued and anwa chuckled.

"You cannot keep still for 5 minutes young helke, you are not patient" he chuckled and she blushed.

"I am fidgety! I have not got out of this bed for 5 days!" She moaned dramatically making anwa laugh.

"Please my I just TRY walking" she pleaded but anwa shook his head.

"I will not risk your injury getting worse, let it heal. Then you will have all the time in the world to leap and bound about' he chortled. "Now tell me, what must you do when treating a patient?" He quizzed.

"Make sure that they are warm" she answered and he nodded,

"Very good, what is the name of the elvish healing stone?" He asked.

"elessar" she groaned boredly. For she had read almost every book within Anna's grasp. Anwa chuckled and said "maybe soon when you are fully recovered we can start your training. With the king's permission of course" he added. At the word 'king' helke's body flushed. It felt very strange not to be around the king. She missed him terribly, the feel of his soft golden hair, the smell of pine on is body.

"I know you miss him helke but I think that it is best you two do take a break from each other, for you to do different things. So far you have only been cooped up" said anwa and helke knew he was right.

"How long will this take to heal?" She asked, looking down at the broken leg.

"With your iceling powers...a few more days and you shall be as right as rain" he said and she groaned.

"shall I see if I can fetch you more books?" anwa said. But As he rose from sitting next to helke of a stool there was a knock at the door.

"Come in" called anwa and amalda peeped in. "Prince Legolas wishes to visit the iceling" she said politely. "Certainly, I shall leave you two alone, I must go book hunting" Anwa chuckled and left the elvish prince and helke alone.

Legolas couldn't help but feel that helke's injury and suffering was his fault. Had he not tried anything he would still be comfortably in the kings's halls. Most females would have swooned to have a prince visit the, but helke was not like 'most females' so she was less happy to see him.

"Helke-" Legolas started but helke gave him no time to explain.

"Why are you here legolas?" She asked and the prince noticed her tone was cold.

"I-I merely feel bad for what happened. I brought you these" and he produced a beautiful arrangement of elvish flowers. Helke tilted her head as she looked at them, admiring each one's singular beauty. He set them in a jar next to her bed and sat on the stool where anwa had been just a few minutes ago.

"Helke I am truly sorry. I do not know what came over me, I am fully aware that you love my father and are faithful to him" he apologised and felt a weigh lift from his shoulders.

"Well. I am glad that we are on better terms now" said helke lightly and the prince smiled.

"I am so sorry about your leg, how long will it be until you are recovered?" Legolas asked.

"A few days, it hasn't been that bad really. It only really hurt when I fell" she said and legolas wasn't sure if he should have felt better or worse.

"Legolas?" She enquired quietly and he looked up at her.

"When are you to be crowned king?" She asked and legolas laughed.

"In a very very long time, either when my father steps down or if he is killed in battle" he explained and helke frowned.

"But won't he die from old age?" She asked and legolas blinked in surprise.

"Helke...elves live for ever, just like icelings" he said and helke's eyes widened.

"Icelings live forever?!" She asked, sitting up and legolas chuckled. This bit of information hadn't been in any if the books that helke had read.

"You will see the changes in the world, they are fascinating" legolas said and something dawned on helke.

"Legolas" she started slowly. "How old are you?" She asked.

"I am 1023 years old" he said plainly and helke's eyes widened.

"How old is your father?" She asked slowly and legolas thought for a minute.

"My father...about 5080 why do you ask?" He said. His tone was as if he was speaking in a plain conversation with a plain topic.

"I am only a few months" she said and legolas burst out laughing.

"Hel-helke" he wheezed from laughing. "It does not quite work like that" he explained. "Icelings are born almost fully mature, there are no 'little ones' of your kind. It takes around 100 years for an iceling to become an iceler. If you were an elf you would probably be...about 4000 I think" he guessed and helke's eyes widened again.

"You are so old" she remarked, trying not to be rude.

"And I still look great" legolas joked and the two laughed...


	18. Chapter 18 - a witch's help

The week after legolas visited helke the king decided it was his turn to face the iceling. The healers bowed lowly in respect as he passed through the halls where he had come many times to visit soldiers injured from battle.

"Your majesty" said anwa, bowing lowly but keeping his eyes on the great elven king. "You are here to see the iceling that is so fond of you,correct?" he said, reading the expressions of guilt and a strange loneliness. The king looked down at anwa (for he stood a few inches taller than the healing elf) and nodded very slowly once. "She is just through here" be said, leading the king over to helke's room (which was now a mess) and left him alone. The king opened the door to see the beck of helke, sat on the floor and her long white hair touching the floorboards. He stepped in silently and smiled when he heard her trying to read elvish.

"Men I sul-sulka" she said slowly and the king read over her shoulder. "Mii poi- pokie"

"It is pronounced pokia" he said softly. With these few softly spoken words helke shot up, the book falling from her lap with a crash and gasping loudly. She stepped away from the king quickly and fell over a pile of book, frost shooting out around her. The king was surprised to say the least about helke's reaction, after all not too long ago the two had slept very comfortably in each others arms.

"Y-your majesty" she stuttered, getting up and stepping around the books.

"You have never once been given reason to call me that and I do not expect you to start now" the king commanded and helke looked down.

"My dear helke" he said quietly, stepping forwards and placing a tender hand upon the iceling's head. He felt an ache in his heart when he saw her flinch and clear ice spread out from around her feet.

"I apologise deeply for what I did to you earlier. I meant not to strike you and I had no reason to." He said quietly and scowled sadly when she did not respond. "Helke please" he said, trying to look at her .but she looked down silently, playing with the end of her sleeves nervously. He sighed deeply as he pulled her into him, enveloping her in warmth. "You are so precious to me" he sighed as he kissed the top of her head. For the first time ever helke felt uncomfortable in the king's arms and did not feel the need to hug him back.

"You have a bad temper" stated helke and the king pulled away to look at her. "I fear you because of it" she said strongly looking into his eyes. The king stared at helke with worried eyes, his lips slightly parted, as if trying to figure out what to say.

"Helke, please. You know I mean no harm to come to you" he almost pleaded.

"And yet you struck me" she stated and he heard something change in her voice. It was cold, uncaring. Nothing like the helke you knew.

"Helke please lie down-" he started, fearing she may be sick but she interjected.

"So you can pleasure yourself? I don't think so" she said in a voice a little more than a harsh whisper. The king looked at her suspiciously as she looked back up at him, not breaking the contact between his blue eyes and her white ones. He raised his head and stepped out to anwa.

"Your highness, you look troubled" said anwa, picking up the kings's troubled look at once.

"Helke...how has she been? Has she been...how do I say? Out of character?" He asked and anwa looked confused.

"No my lord. She has been perfectly fine, wonderful company" anwa said, scowling. Suddenly sharp ice jetted out from inside of the door, piercing it's way through. The king opened the door and stepped through carefully around the ice. He stepped forwards and examined the look in helke's eyes.

"What do you feel?" He asked suddenly when he saw her eyes too had turned cold. The smile which helke gave the king was most unpleasant and made the king feel on edge. His eyes shifted to the window and saw the sun blaring through the window.

"You haven't business here" she said smoothly and thranduil scowled.

"THIS is my kingdom." He reminded sternly and she raised an eyebrow. Suddenly her whole expression dropped, replaced by a blank look.

"Helke?" He asked quietly, reaching out to touch her but as he did hard, cold black ice began to cascade slowly down from the roots of her hair, covering her whole body in a thin layer of the dark, ominous ice and she collapsed into his arms.


	19. Chapter 19 - Fayla

The wind whistled harshly as the king rode is elk up to the mountain. It seemed a cold autumn was approaching quickly. He patted the elk's strong neck as she climbed up the rocky side, pebbles scattering under her hooves. The king stopped and glanced up at the isolated cave which held a sinister atmosphere around it. He scowled and pressed further, determined to make the arrangement as quickly as he could, he did not care for witchs. he stopped his elk outside the mouth of the cave and slid off gracefully. He did not bother to tie his elk up, he knew she was a loyal creature and would not leave without her master. He slowly walked to the mouth of the cave and touched it's cold wall. Any normal man would have not been able to see walking through the pitch black cave but thranduil had acute hearing and sight, making it easy for him to identify objects.

He walked through one long tunnel, sometimes hearing bats squeak and mice chatter their teeth.

"Thranduil of Mirkwood" called a smooth, almost arrogant voice.

"Fayla" he replied calmly. The two had met once when thranduil had caught her taking herbs from mirkwood forest. He had allowed her to go that once but warned her and she never returned. Green torches suddenly illuminated the darkness but thranduil was not scared.

"And what, may I ask, is the pleasure of your company?" She asked, standing from her sitting position. She was young faced to him, but to others appeared old. To some she was beautiful, others an ugly hag, it was a strange sort of magic. She was dressed from head to toe in a long black dress and cape, giving the appearance that she was floating.

"I need a favour" he said thickly. He did not like asking help from others.

"Ah yes, I've been expecting you. The iceling girl yes?" She asked, her green eyes searching thranduil's. she was so fast she appeared to have transported herself to stand face to face with thranduil. She took his hand in her's until he pulled away quickly in disgust. "How dare you touch me-"

"You have mated with her...naughty naughty" she teased tauntingly in her smooth voice. "She is in coma" fayla said as she walked towards the middle of the cave room and clicked her fingers. More green lights illuminated and a white cauldron stood in the middle.

"Made of elk horns, hope you don't mind" she added sweetly with a smirk.

"I did not come here to be insulted" he said through his anger.

"No...you came here because you think I have an answer for helke's long sleep...and I do" she added, gently running her finger along the rim of the cauldron.

"What's the price?" He asked shortly, knowing witches were all about payment.

"It may be the white of her hair. Or the blue from your eyes...eye" she corrected herself, seeing past the magic thranduil had concealed himself in to hide his gruesome injuries. Thranduil clenched his fists in anger. Never before had he been made a mockery of. But he could not lash out, she maybe the only person to save helke.

"What IS the price?" He asked patiently, hiding his anger well.

"I will think" fayla taunted as she opened a large wardrobe in the corner of the room which contained shelves and shelves of bottles.

"Your little lover is scared it would appear. Her body has shut itself down in a time of over load" she explained as she scanned the shelves. "YOU wouldn't have anything to do with that would you?" She asked, knowing the answer. Thranduil stayed silent. With arms full of bottles fayla headed back to the white cauldron. She tipped in powders and liquids silently.

"What are you doing? How is she suppose to drink that? She is encased in ice" thranduil pressed angrily.

"She will not drink it. I did not know the elves were so ignorant"

"Do not insult my people" thranduil growled but fayla smirked. Her black wavy hair fell into her face as she hovered her hand over the cauldron and muttered words the king was not familiar with.

"It shall be poured over her" she explained. "It should melt the ice, however may not melt the ice in her heart" she added and thranduil scowled in confusion. "Many icelings awake to be cold, cruel creature, the ice bled straight to their hearts" the witch explained.

"Then work faster for heaven's sake!" Exclaimed thranduil and fayla smirked.

"Patience is a virtue. And are you elves not virtues?" She teased and thranduil felt his fists clench again.

"Please" he added patiently and fayla smirked.

"I am afraid I will have to come back with you...you cannot cast witchcraft" she told and thranduil scowled.

"I spell will have to be spoke whilst this is poured over her...a complicated process"

"If this does not work I shall have your head" thranduil said suddenly and fayla turned surprised. The king had suddenly found his pride and power again and was now beginning to come to terms with that fact his love may already by dead.

"I have no doubt" she muttered as she continued to work, but at a quicker base. "It must sit under the full moon for 9 hours" she said, picking up the cauldron and heading along the cave tunnel.

"We do not have the time!" He exclaimed as he followed her quickly, ducking under some rock.

"Do you want this done properly or not "your highness" she asked sarcastically. "Believe it or not I was great friends with the icelings that use to live amongst us. If she is the only one to grace the earth them i shall do all I can to help her. The icelers gave an awful lot to me. It's time I gave it back." She whispered angrily, getting close to thranduil's face before storming back into her cave home. Thranduil looked out as the win blew, moving small bit of rock and dust. He whistled and his elk trotted over, hoping her master was done. "I am afraid we will be sleeping here tonight laure" the elven king sighed and he saw disappointment in laure's, knowing she wanted to go back to her calf.

"It will not be long" promised as he stroked her long nose. He never use to talk to the elk before helke arrived, but upon seeing how happy it made her when helke talked to her and her calf he had warmed to the idea.

He decided to settle near the mouth of the cave to guard the cauldron, in case fayla tried to poison it or anything of that sort.

"I made a broth" said a voice behind him and he looked round sharply. Fayla now had her hood down, revealing her young, pale face with emerald green eyes.

"I will not eat anything a witch has made" he proclaimed and turned back Round.

"I know your worried about the iceling but refusing to eat will not help. I want her to get better too. I owe her people a lot" she explained.

"I do not want to hear your story" he snapped. "I merely want helke to get better so I may hold her again" he said through a heavy chest.

"I see a strange future for helke" said fayla as the wind whipped. "She will forget you, and everything about you. She will begin to love another." She recited and thranduil turned angrily.

"Do not tell me your lies!" He snapped and began pacing.

"They are not lies, they are the future. One of your people will betray you and helke will be lost" she said and thranduil clenched his fists.

"Leave me" he snapped and fayla went back inside the tunnel of the cave. What was she ranting on about?! She must be lying...mustn't she? How could helke forget him? The two had shared so much, were so close...one of his people? As far as he knew none of his people were against helke...as far as he knew...he fell asleep in a must un-royal way, his head against the cave wall and his elk by his feet...


End file.
